


to the moon (and back)

by yerahomoharreh



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Innocent Louis, Learning Disabilities, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Pervasive Developmental DIsorder, Sad, Shy Louis, Sick Harry, Sickfic, Time Travel, asd!louis, nonsmut, to the moon universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-31
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-15 14:29:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2232438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yerahomoharreh/pseuds/yerahomoharreh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>louis was seen as a simple disordered child, but harry had filtered eyes.<br/>it's almost funny because he sees that the world is full of stars that all shine, but louis. louis was not a star. oh, he was the moon.<br/>those days were over. </p><p>harry's lost. louis is dead.</p><p>and the moon's been waiting for 68 years. </p><p>-</p><p>AU in which Niall and Liam work for the Sigmund Corporation, a company that grants wishes for people on the death bed. All they really have to do is travel through the elderly Harry's life and take him to the moon, but the doctors find more than they signed for. They learn of Harry's tragic childhood and his late husband, Louis. And maybe, they learn about each other too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act 1: I've Always Thought They Were Lighthouses

**Author's Note:**

> a not-yet authors note:
> 
> as you read this verse, you will come across many confusing things that even i am not sure of yet. there are things that will make you happy, and things that will make you sad. please keep in mind that all of these things are not coincidences, and as you finish this short story, you will find that everything comes together. though it is an au, many of the lessons i learn and try to pass on most definitely correlate with the non-au larry fandom. if you have any questions you would like to be answered, ask me http://yerahomoharreh.tumblr.com/ask

**_ACT 1:_ **

**_"I've never told anyone, but...I've always thought they were lighthouses."_ **

**_-_ **

"Where were you looking, Niall?!" Liam fumed as he slammed the door shut and stood from the car, eyeing the steam emerging from the hood and the tree his coworker had crashed into.

"Well,  _excuse me_  for heroically trying to avoid running over that squirrel!" He argued back, gesturing to the road kill that glowed with pungent fumes.

"You ran over it anyways."

Niall turned to look in the general direction and saw the guts and blood that could cause quite a lot of gagging. "...Oh."

"You ran over it  _and_  crashed our car into a tree." Liam pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Look, don't worry about it. It's a company car." Niall placed his hands on his hips and mentally prayed he was right.

"Are you kidding? The boss is gonna kill us!" Liam groaned and let his head fall on the roof of the car.

"We'll just say I was saving a puppy. He likes puppies, right? Ah, everyone likes puppies, who am I kidding!"

"He's allergic to dogs." He spoke against the cold metal.

Niall raised his hands in the air as a sign of giving up. "Why does the world have to be so complicated?"

Liam clapped his palms together and stood up straight, huffing. "Alright. Let's get the equipment from the car and move on already."

They both grabbed the machine and walked on a path that lead to their assigned destination, the beep of the car locking echoing throughout the night.

The path curved past several scary looking trees and "Liam, I swear that was a dementor!" popped up more than once. Eventually the path led to a large boulder in the middle, but easy to get around. "Who puts a boulder in the sidewalk to their house?" Niall questioned.

"Maybe it's their security system." Liam replied thoughtlessly. Anything to keep Niall going and quiet.

But, he kept on making racket. "Let's just say it was preventing access and we couldn't reach the house. Let's call it a night."

"You know we won't get paid if we don't go."

Niall rubbed his chin and nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, and I need to go on an IKEA shopping spree soon...let's just keep going."

"Excellent idea, Dr. Horan."

"Thank you, Dr. Payne."

And, success! Crisis averted, they passed the rock and made their way out of the woods. The two stood in the presence of a beautiful house with flowers surrounding. The house had a cliff behind it, and on the cliff stood a light house with a small bench beside it. Liam could tell that he sat on it, he'd have a perfect view of tonight's full moon. He'd like to sit there with Niall, and maybe he'd be able to tell Niall that he wants to be more than his best friend. Too bad they have this stupid patient.

"Let's go, Leeyum!" The boy pouted and tugged Liam into the house.

Upon entering, they saw a small girl sit at a piano and play a soft tune that neither could identify as happy or heartbreaking. "Classical music. Who needs that?" Niall whispered to Liam who smiled and nodded. He actually quite liked classical music.

The girl saw them out of the corner of her eyes and squealed "Mum, they're here!"

Right after, a young woman ran down the steps on the right, looking exhausted. Nevertheless, she smiled and introduced herself. "I'm Lou Teasdale. You must be here for Harry. I hear you're quite good, since he requested you two specifically."

"Oh. We weren't told that." Liam said suspiciously and glanced at Niall, who only shrugged.

"We are pretty good at this job. Are you Harry's daughter?"

"No, no, I'm just his caretaker. And this here is my daughter, Lux. Harry just lets us live here, he doesn't like to be alone even though he doesn't talk much. Follow me, he's upstairs."

The two men were led up the stairs and were greeted by a medical doctor standing next to the bedridden Harry, who laid attached to a heart monitor with a mask over his nose.

"How much time does he have left?" Niall immediately went to work, handing the machine to Liam.

"A day, two at most." Harry's doctor replied.

Liam set the machine on a nightstand and led the cord to a simple outlet. Lou spoke up in concern. "Um, are you sure that just the energy from this house is enough to power time travel? I'd hate anything to happen-"

"Don't worry,  _we're_  the experts." Niall assured as Liam plugged it in. As if on cue, the overhead lights flicked off but gradually turned back on.

"So, what's the wish?" Liam asked and folded his arms.

Lou rocked on her heels and glanced at the floor. In a hushed voice, she mumbled; "The moon."

A perfect silence filled the room. Now, if you had the fortune to grant wishes for people, you'd have the common decency to assume she was kidding. Most people just wish to feel gritty sand beneath their toes or see presents under a tree or feel a breeze through the window on a summer night or have another first kiss. People wish for little things; but they give them the most unimaginable happiness. No one had ever wanted the moon.

Unless you were Niall. You would assume differently.

"He wants to own the moon? The geezers just keep gettin' crazier..."

"Could you be a bit more specific?" Liam pushed.

She nodded. "The moon. He wants to go to the moon." Her lilac hair fell from her shoulders and she glanced more seriously. "So, can you do it?"

"That depends." Liam replied truthfully.

"He meant to say yes." Niall piped in.

Liam eyed Harry, watched his chest rise and fall almost in sync with the on going 'beep' of the heart monitor. "Why don't you tell us a bit about our client?" Liam urged Lou.

"That...I don't really know much. Harry's an old man. Through the two years I've worked here, he rarely spoke. He worked as a poet most of his life, and his husband passed away two years ago. I don't really know many details."

"I would've known more if I were his mailman, for Pete's sake." Niall sighed and sat on a wooden chair, cupping his cheek.

"Niall," Liam warned. Niall often got annoyed easily and by now, Liam was used to keeping him toned down.

"Well," Lou muttered. "I supposed you'd find more if you looked around the house. I'm sure Harry wouldn't mind."

"Hm...Niall? You wanna play detective?" Liam stood in front of him.

Niall stood and dusted the front of his lab coat off. "I'll do it. I once played Sherlock Holmes in a high-school play."

"We went to high school together, you definitely played Watson."

"Same thing."

Before Liam could come up with a better comeback, Niall jogged down the steps and stood next to the piano, where Lux played a soft ballad. She was pretty good for such a young child.

"Alright, kid. I need you to show me around this house."

She peered up and flashed a bright grin. "I don't want to."

Niall groaned and ran his hand over his face. Night shift already sucks, he doesn't need children involved. "What'll it take to get you to do it?"

"A million dollars! Or the candy mum hides from me. Yeah, either one."

He sighed and laughed a bit. "Tsk, tsk, such a shame. You do know it's illegal to eat hidden candy, right?"

She widened her eyes in shock. "Nuh uh!"

"Uh huh! But if you show me around, I won't tell the police."

She sighed in relief and stood from the bench. "Alright, fine. What do you even want me to show you?"

"I don't know, just-! Whatever you think is interesting."

"Interesting?" Her voice squeaked. "There's this really weird room in the basement. I'll show you, but don't tell mummy."

"You're not allowed to be there?"

She only giggled in response and opened a thick door, guiding Niall down the dark steps.

When they turned the corner, she pulled the string dangling from the ceiling and a single bulb switched on. The room had a cold cement floor and it was so dusty, you'd think it was a museum. But there was a desk, and a large bookshelf next to it.

"This isn't the weird room. There's a door behind the book shelf, that's the room."

"Pipe down, kiddo." Niall ran his fingers over the books on the shelf to see of anything Harry might've read would help, like books about the moon.

Instead he was found with one of the very old copies of Peter Pan from the early 1900's. Just as he was about to turn, something caught his eye.

The spine of another book had no writing on it. He pulled it out and dusted it off, to see on the front, the words 'for Louis' were engraved.

Assuming if you were in the position, you'd be curious, right?

But rule 34 of the Sigmund Corporation is to focus only on the patient, not their family or friends unless required. And by the laws of the job, he was forced to put the book back and never open it.

"Help me push this shelf." Niall demanded Lux. Wordlessly, they pushed it to the side and found another door behind it.

"I'll wait out here. That room gives me the creeps."

Niall turned the doorknob and pushed it open. It was pitch black, completely impossible to see anything. So he whipped his phone out and used it as a flashlight.

The second he gained visibility, he started getting the creeps too.

The entire floor was covered in paper bunnies. As in, paper that someone folded to the shape of a rabbit. Did Harry do that?

The rabbits blocked him from waltzing deeper in the room, but to his right he saw a table. And on the table was a stuffed brown platypus.

"That could help us." He mused, and took the platypus with him and he left the room.

Lux was still there, twiddling her thumbs. "So, you saw the rabbits?"

Niall nodded and made note to check if Harry had previous problems with mental illness. "There's a lot."

"There's more, too."

He raised his eyebrows in a questioning look. "More?"

"Yeah, it's-it's in the lighthouse, at the top. I can show you that too but you can't tell mummy."

Niall raised an eyebrow. "You're not allowed in their either, are you?"

"Nope!" She sing-songed. They walked up the creaky steps and out the front door, into the warm and still night. They could hear crickets chirping in the flowers planted around the house. Nights like these make Niall want to take Liam to the best party in town and get wasted, but they both could use the money.

Niall followed Lux up the outdoor stairs on the cliff that led to the lighthouse. He stood in front of the bench and looked up at the huge thing. It had numerous holes in it, some patched up with slabs of wood over the gape. The light at the top was not on.

On the left, probably two feet away from the bench that faced the water was an average sized tombstone with dying flowers laid in front of it. It read: 'In memory of Louis Styles-Tomlinson.'

"Louis..." Niall thought out loud. He rubbed his chin in attempt to look smart, and he did it often. Liam never had the guts to tell him he just looked like an adorable idiot. "Was Louis Harry's husband? The one that died?"

"I dunno, prolly."

And for a minute, he thought he saw something carved into the side of the wall, but he quickly forgot about it when Lux opened the door and brought him inside.

It was dim and spooky, the winding spiral staircase creaking through every wave from the ocean that hit the cliff.

They marched up the steps until they reached the top. The large light stood in the middle with a fence surrounding it, and scattered across the floor was none other than more paper bunnies.

That's when Niall caught something out of his eye. At the far end, he saw a bunny that looked different from the others. He carefully made his way to it and picked it up, running the paper beneath his fingers. He held it up for Lux to view. "What's the difference between this bunny and the others?"

She shrugged. "They all look the same."

"Look closer."

She squinted her eyes and soon popped back in realization. "Oh! All the other bunnies are from white paper, but that's from blue and yellow!"

Niall closely examined it. "So why is it different?" He asked, mainly to himself. But he still got an answer.

"That one's special, I think."

Well, that was enough. It had to show more significance than the others. "I think you're right, so I'm going to hold on to it. Along with this platypus."

-

"Ni, what the bloody hell took you so long?" Liam accused, looking properly pissed.

"I was killing ants with my magnifying glass." He stated promptly with a smug grin.

"Using moonlight?" Liam turned to prep the machine some more.

"Alright, busted. I found two things that might help." He admitted as he sat the platypus and the bunny on the love seat across from Harry's bed. "D'you think it's enough to get started?"

Liam cautiously looked over it and nodded. "If they're important to Harry then yeah, they should. I think we're ready." He turned to Lou. "Now, we should tell you before we go: when our patients are unconscious, we go to the most recent time that they were healthy so we can explain what we'll do to them. It won't be the real Harry because it'll be in a different universe but that's better than nothing. Our job is to alter Harry's life however much it takes to get him to the moon, and we can't take him in his current state. So, by our traveling, it's estimated he'll have the memory of going to the moon before he's 50. However...if this Harry, the real world one dies before past alternate universe Harry gets to the moon...then there's nothing we can do. Do you understand?"

She nodded and dug her fingernails into her balled up fist. "Yes."

"Then I believe Niall and I should get going." He sat on the wooden chair next to Niall who simply sat on the floor. They slipped the time-traveling helmets on and were back in time before they knew it.

-

**Harry's age: 68 (one month before present time)**

When the few seconds of travel had passed, Niall and Liam had found themselves in the exact same room they left in. Most everything was the same except their equipment wasn't on the table, and Harry wasn't in his bed.

"This must be his most recent accessible memory. Disable speech for everyone here except me, you, and Harry." Liam told Niall, who nodded and punched a button on the small remote he kept in the lab coat pocket.

"Done. We're safe." He replied.

On their own guess, the two made their way towards the lighthouse. It was still nighttime, the full moon shining on the ocean waves that crashed into the cliff. Harry sat next to Lou on the bench, both watching the mesmerizing water.

Liam cleared his throat, earning a startled reaction from Harry. But once he turned and saw them, him and Lou stood. Harry flashed a smile and managed a small wave. "You scared us. Sorry, we're not used to having visitors. But what a nice surprise."

Liam stepped forward and nodded. "My name is Dr. Liam Payne, and this is-"

"Dr. Von Matterhorn....Dr. Lorenzo Von Matterhorn." Niall cheekily said, stuffing his hands in his pocket. For an odd reason, when they traveled through the unconscious' memories, Niall liked to use Lorenzo Von Matterhorn as his secret identity. He says it's for protection but Liam knows he's not serious.

"....And this is Dr. Niall Horan. Are you familiar with the Sigmund Agency of Life Generation?" He inquired. He's always the one asking questions, though Niall is the one who has problems with becoming attached and curious about patients. He's just...lovely.

"Oh, are you from the company? That's a coincidence, I was just thinking about calling you. Lou, fetch us some tea, please." Harry politely insisted, using his raspy thick voice. To his dismay, Lou didn't reply. It went unknowing that her speech had been disabled by Niall. "...Lou?"

"Actualy, sir," Niall spoke, clasping his hands behind his back. "You've already called us." With another push of a button, Lou disappeared into thin air.

Harry stepped back cautiously, the obvious confusion splayed across his face. Liam stated calmly; "We're here to fulfill our contract from the relative future." But Harry only took more steps back.

"Carefull, Harry. If you move back further we'll have to reload this memory." Niall chuckled.

Liam shot him a glare, hands curling in a fist. "Watch it, Niall. Show some respect.

"'S just a program, y'know."

"Yeah, but we need his last accessible memory's cooperation."

Harry's eyes bugged out of his head when he realized what was going on. He bit his bottom lip in nervousness. "You...you're here t-to take me...to the moon, aren't you?" They both nodded. Harry sighed and he gazed back at the waves, dark blue under the glow of the night sky. "I suppose I've had a good run. But can you really do it? Can you take me to the moon?"

"We can't, but you might be able to." Liam explained.

"Why do you want to go there?" Asked Niall.

Harry simply shrugged and stared into the sea. "I don't know."

Liam peered at Niall. "It's fine, you can tell us. It's essential for us to help you."

"Is it the fame? The money? You've gotta have a motive."

"I'm sorry, I-I....I really don't know." His head hung low as he spoke in a quiet voice. "I just...do."

"Nevertheless, Harry, here's what we'll do." Liam remarked, folding his hands. "We need to get to you're childhood, but it's too long a journey to do so in one memory lap. So instead, we'll gradually travel through your past until we reach it. Which, you've given us permission to do in the future. Once we lay down the points in your childhood memories for direct access, we will return here. That's when you'll need to help us influence the childhood you to become an astronaut."

"Or to get on a giant catapult." Niall joked.

"The point is, you'll have to tell us more than just 'I don't know'."

"As long as I make it to the moon, I'll cooperate in any way possible."

"Good. Now, for us to trigger your past, we need some items that'll help us. Do you have anything?"

Boy, was it lucky that he happened to be sitting right next to a platypus and a blue and yellow rabbit.

"I knew it!" Niall belted, mouth wide open. Liam claimed it to be a lucky guess.

"I think it's time for us to go, then. We'll see the past you soon, Harry." Niall waved, and they were off.

-

**Harry's age: 67**

When Niall and Liam had moved on to the next time-line, they found themselves back on the cliff. There sat Harry with an umbrella over his head, barely paying attention to the pouring rain hitting his feet. His eyes didn't move from the tombstone he gazed on.  _In memory of Louis Styles-Tomlinson._

Thunder roared and lightening flashed across the sky. Waves were on a rampage, clashing into each other, almost reaching the top of the cliff. "What a terrible storm. Why's Harry outside?" Niall says, eyeing the older man. Liam shrugged in return, examining Harry as he pulled the platypus closer into his lap.

His hand patted the ground and a fond yet mourning smile stretched across his face. "I know you've always hated thunderstorms, Louis. So I decided to sit with you. But...I wanted to tell you. It's finished! She won't be alone anymore. I'll be able to watch over her everyday, like you used to. I might never understand why, but I stayed true to your wish. I'm sure Anya is greatful to you, too. But, once I'm gone...who's going to watch over  _us?"_

"Turn visibility and speech on for me. I wanna talk to him." Liam sighed, and Niall simply nodded. When he clicked the button, Liam stepped forward and Harry looked up.

"Who are you?" Harry says.

"My name is Liam. I was just passing by." He says, fixing the collar of his lab coat. "Was...was he your husband?"

"Yes. His name is Louis." He answered shortly, looking down at the tombstone. "It didn't need to happen." He said quietly.

"Hm?" Liam pushed.

"He...he didn't need to do it. But he...you wouldn't understand. _I_  don't even understand."

-

**Harry's age: 66 (two days before Louis died)**

"Just enough." Harry says, gripping the bedridden Louis' hand with determination. "After we pay for your operation, we'll have just enough left for it. So don't you worry."

"You're lying." Louis says, not letting go of Harry. "You're just saying that.

"No, I'm sure we can just-"

"Stop it, Haz. I don't like it when you lie. You're not the only one who sees our finances; I know how it's like. Why do you try to convince me against my will?"

"We need money for your medical bills, Louis!" Harry pleads. "I know that Anya means a lot to you, but...this is just too far. I mean she-she isn't even-"

Louis turns on his side to get a better look at him. "Do you know what makes me happy, Harry?"

"...What?"

" _Do_  you?" When Harry doesn't answer, Louis sighs and rolls to his back again. "Well, I do. I just hope you can help me with it. When the papers for my treatments get here, I'm not going to sign them. What you do with our money is up to you. But if you would grant my wish, I want you to finish building that house. And then, for everyday that you live there, I want you to watch over  _her._ Visit her. Speak to her. Comfort her. I don't want her to be alone anymore."

Harry fought back the tears that pricked in his eyes. "What about you?"

Louis stared at the ceiling, watching the fan go round and round. He thinks of a coherant answer, trying to avoid the face of Harry so upset and fearful. That was his least favorite thing, and that's why he had to escape it. "Happy." he says. "I'll be happy."

"But I-"

"Harry?"

His throat bobbed and he wiped his eyes with the back of his free hand. "What?"

"I made this." Louis says, handing him the blue and yellow bunny that sat above his covers. "Tell me what it is."

"What-"

"Just tell me what you're holding."

"It's a rabbit, just like all the others you've made."

"What else?"

Harry racks his brain for the right thing to say, knowing Louis needed to hear the right things. But his reply never found its way. "Um, it's made of paper."

"What else?"

"Its body is yellow, and the rest is blue."

"Good. What else?" Louis urges.

"Lou." Harry sighs, finally understanding that Louis was trying to change the subject. He gently sets the rabbit on the floor along with the other white rabbits that scatter across the room. "I...I wrote a song for you."

The corners of Louis mouth perk up. "Okay."

"Do you want to hear it?"

He nods firmly. "Yes. But you didn't have to bring the piano all the way upstairs. I can hear you just fine with the door open."

Harry simply shugs and sits on the piano bench. "It's called 'Moments'."

"Why so cliche?"

Harry giggles and sets his sheet music up. "Because we're a cliche."

The song starts, and Niall walks over to Liam, making sure to turn off visibility and hearing so they can talk without interupting the song. "Who's this 'Anya' they're talking about?" Liam asks. "If she's so important, wouldn't we have seen her in the late memories?"

"I guess he didn't keep that promise after all."

Liam turns and glances at Louis, who smiles brightly as he listens to his song. "Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"...Never mind. But you know what I realized? This is the same song Lux was playing earlier."

-

**Harry's age: 66 (two weeks before Louis dies)**

Niall looked up and suddenly it was all clear. The house that they met first, the house that Harry stayed in and Lou resided in was before his eyes. Though, not a house yet. The wood interior stretched over, the walls patched with thinness. The house was still being constructed. "They must've saw this cliff and thought it wasn't dangerous enough without people living on it." Niall says.

Liam pointed out Harry, who sat slumped against the front off the unfinished house, when another lady approached. Her hair was turning grey but in some parts, it was dyed white. All together, it looked strange for a woman who must've been Harry's age. "Zayn told me to visit you." she says, sliding down to sit next to you. "I brought you blueberries. They're your favorite, right?" she smiles politely, setting the jar of blueberries in between her and Harry. "I heard about Louis. Will he be okay?"

"His illness was diagnosed in the late stage. But it's treatable. It's just the medical bills..." he sighs. "We can't afford to finish building the house, Perrie. We can barely afford to pay for the treatment as it is. I'm just relieved that he'll be okay, but...you don't know how much this place means to him. He'll be heartbroken."

Perrie shakes her head in solemn. "I wish I could help. What're you going to do now?"

"I'm going to tell him that we can make it. I'll tell him we can afford everything. I can only hope he doesn't do anything crazy."

"You shouldn't lie to him."

"Pez, you don't understand. If he found out, I'm not sure which he'd choose."

"So what?" She questions seriously. "If he chooses to not save himself for the sake of this place, then so be it. It's what he really wants. Maybe you don't know what's best for him. I sure don't."

Harry licks his lips and picks at the wedding ring on his finger. "Do you think this is all about him? What about me, Pezza? After all these years, I'm not allowed to be selfish even once?" His eyes close and he takes a deep breath. "I don't want to be alone. I'm not going to let him die."

"That's arrogant."

"I don't care."

Perrie sighs and hands over the book she brought with her to Harry's lap. "Zayn told me to tell you to read this. It's called 'Everything's Alright.'"

Harry shoved the book back. "It isn't."

-

**Harry's age: 65**

The next memory started in a small tavern, where Harry sat next to Louis at a dining table with Perrie and, assuming, Zayn, sat across. "So you're really going through with it?" Zayn asked, bringing the mug to his lips.

"Yeah!" Harry answered, grinning madly. "The construction starts in a few months. It's a bit of squeeze; we had to split the payment. But we'll make do."

"It's wonderful, you guys." Perrie gushed, slipping her hand the intertwine with Zayn's. "Having your dreamhouse built at such a beautiful place."

"You guys had your wedding at the same lighthouse, right?" Zayn asks.

"That's not all that's special about it." Louis smiles at the words. "Harry and I have a long history at that cliff."

"Well," Zayn says. "It's great we have some good news at a get-together for once. Congrats, ya two!"

Harry smiles and thanks him. "I'm going to go get some fresh air." Perrie says, standing.

Louis follows her out, mumbling "Me too."

The two wait until they've left. "Well, Haz, it's been a while."

"I know. Who knew how hard it was to get across a few cities nowadays?" He joked, Zayn chuckling along.

"But man, that Louis. He's just so quiet."

"Eh, he's actually been quite talkative at home, and with Perrie. I guess he's just not used to you."

"So that makes me the bad guy?" He laughs, drinking some more from his mug. It clinks as he sets it down on the table. "Oh hey, so did you tell Louis that thing from back then?"

Harry's face goes melancholic as he complies. "I did."

"How did he take it?"

"For the most part, he took it well....but something bugs me," he mentions. "Ever since the incident, he's been making these strange rabbits out of paper."

"Origami rabbits?"

"Yeah. Lots of them."

"Hm. I used to fold origami animals for my daughter all the time. What's wrong with that?"

"I don't think it's the same thing. He's been doing nothing but making the rabbits, day in and day out. Our house is literally filled with them now."

"Didn't Perrie say something like that was a common trait for Louis' condition?"

"Yes, but something doesn't feel right. When I ask him about it, he never answers. Instead, he gets this distant look in his eyes...it's almost as if he wants something from me. And the strange thing is, I feel like there's something I owe him, too."

"Have you asked Pez?"

"Yeah. She said she talked to Louis about it, but got nothing."

"...Well, I'm certainly not one to inquire, but I'll tell you this: I've known you since middle school, and you are notorious for over-thinking. You're probably just imagining things. There's no need to get worked up."

Harry furrows his brows suspiciously. "Usually when someone says that, something is always wrong. But I'll give you the benefit of doubt. You're probably right."

Niall taps his fingers on the table. "So even he himself doesn't know what the rabbits are for?"

"Forget about the stupid rabbits," Liam says. "We've got bigger problems to take care of."

-

**Harry's age: 48**

_"Crikey!"_  Niall exclaims in shock.

"You aren't Australian." Liam says, obviously not scared by appearing in the next memory. Though, they happened to appear on top of the lighthouse.

"Who gives a shit? We're like, 20 billion feet off the ground and standing on a damn flagpole!" He worries, glancing down to see a younger Harry and Louis on the cliff.

"Just jump down. We're not real, so it's not like you'll get hurt." Liam says simply, as if heights weren't something people are terrified of.

"Are you kidding me? It's a fucking sky-dive! I swear if I-"

In the middle of his rant, Liam inched behind Niall and, of course, shoved him off the edge.

 _"LIAM, WHAT THE FUCK?!"_ He bellows from the land below.

"Wuss." He smiles, jumping down next to him. But they say nothing as Louis starts to speak.

"Why would they abandon her like this?" He questions, staring up and down the expanse of the lighthouse, squinting in the bright sun setting behind it. An average sized paper is attached to the door. It seems harmless, but it bares fangs when Louis sees it.

"I guess she's just no longer needed." Harry replies like it's not a big deal. Except, it is a big deal. The only thing Louis loves more than the lighthouse is Harry himself.

Louis turns and gapes at him. "No longer needed?"

"By ships, I mean. You know how it is, now that everything has GPS and stuff." But Louis only faces 'her' again.

"Look, boo." He trots past him, ripping down the letter from the lighthouse door. "This place means a lot to me, too. And I've been thinking. In our current state, things have been pretty stable. If we save well, in a decade or two, we could afford to build a house on top of here. It'll take a lot-"

"We'll be able to see her from the window!" Louis gasps happily, covering his mouth with his dainty hands in excitement. "In the morning, at night, we'd always be nearby. And...and we could walk here any time! She'll never be alone again, Haz!" He looks on the verge of tears as he wraps his arms around Harry and sighs into the curve of his shoulder. "I'll be able to watch over her every day!"

"Yeah, we will." Harry beams.

Liam looks happy at the sight, saying "So Anya is what they call the lighthouse, then. A little weird, but good for them."

"You gotta be kidding me." Niall groans. "You remember what happens, don't you? It's like watching a train wreck."

Liam exhales and shakes his head. "The ending isn't any more important than the moments leading to it. The important thing is that right now, they are happy."

-

**Harry's age: 45 (the day the rabbits started)**

"Louis, I feel like you're not telling me something." Harry says cautiously as he watches Louis delicately fold a white paper rabbit. There's not nearly as many as before, only a few lay across the desk, but it's still a bit odd.

Louis doesn't answer. He just keeps folding, ignoring Harry.

So Harry mentally groans and steps closer to the desk Louis sits at. "What're you making?"

"Rabbits." He answers softly.

Harry stares down at the stack of white paper and realizes something is definetely wrong. "You're acting strange, Lou. Is something wrong?"

Liam whispers to Niall. "I think I know what Louis' condition is, but this is odd even for that."

"Well..." Niall says, trailing off. "He's not out client. Let's just get what we're paid for over with."

-

**Harry's age: 45 (one week before the rabbits began)**

The next memory began on the cliff, before the house was even built. Harry and Louis sat side by side on the bench, watching the working light of Anya guide ships into the dark ports.

"Is that why you approached me that day?" Louis asks, almost sounding sad.

"Yeah." Harry answers, chewing his bottom lip.

"What about now?"

Harry shrugs. "I guess it's just a part of it. Look, it was a long time ago. It's...it's not too important now, but Perrie said I should tell you the truth. The first time we met...I messed up, big time."

Louis stares down at his lap, twiddling his thumbs. He doesn't reply to Harry, and they sit there in silence.

"This memory must be pretty close to the last." Liam says, Niall nodding in response. "It looks like Harry told him something upsetting...which must've led to why Louis makes those rabbits all the time. That is a symptom for his...condition, I guess is what you'd call it."

-

**Harry's age: 42**

"Everyone with it is different, Harry." Perrie says warmly across the table. She sat next to Zayn in the bookstore, talking quietly because Louis was close, looking for a book that Harry promised he'd buy for him. "Just because Louis and I have the same syndrome, doesn't mean we share the same head."

"You must be able to help  _somehow_." Harry pleads. "Everything was just fine at first, but now he's more distant than before. Even when we're in the same room, he's never really...there. It's starting to take a toll on me. I just don't know how to handle it anymore."

"I think..." Perrie starts. "Well, for most people with the syndrome, they long for a...connection. Just because he struggles to express it doesn't mean he doesn't need you. He still hasn't left you. Sometimes, you just have to have faith that he cares."

Harry tightens his grip around the warm cup of coffee in his hands. "But it's impossible for me to do that every single day."

"Hold on," Zayn says to Perrie. "If you and Lou have the same condition, why are you so different?"

"For one, I was diagnosed when I was still a small child. Everything I thought was normal turned out to be strange, so I just pretend to understand everything that people do. I really don't get it, but I go with it. But you know what? I'm jealous of Louis, yet I pity him too. I work as an actress because I've been doing it all my life. Not only on-set, but off-set...practically every moment of my life. I've gotten good at it, because acting is the only option I have. It's the only way for me to be 'normal'. But Louis...he never did that. He remained an outcast and refused to learn to step against it. I don't know if it was by choice or by limit...there are days when I just can't stand faking it anymore. And then, I realize that it's too late. The Perrie that people know is all an act, and the real me has become a stranger. I think, in the end...I just envy him."

Harry nods and stands from the chair. "I'm gonna go check on him." He says, walking to the shelf Louis stands at. "See anything you like?" He asks.

Louis shakes his head and browses over the children's books. "Nope."

Harry hums and nods, watching him look at the books. Normally, it'd be strange to see someone reading children's books in their midlife, but the doctor said it was all part of the syndrome. "Y'know," Harry says. "When I was younger, I loved reading this book called 'Peter Pan'."

"I know. Your mother gave it to you as a wedding present."

Harry laughed. "Yeah, it was a pretty odd present."

When he saw Louis smile, it made him feel so proud. Louis rarely ever smiles anymore. But then he said something that made Harry frown. "Why don't you read it anymore? I've seen it. It's collecting dust in the garage."

"Well, I just grew out of it, I guess." Harry shrugs. "I mean, it's a children's book."

"What's so bad about reading children's books?" He says harshly. "I think they're comforting."

"Er," Harry says confused. "I suppose they are."

Louis turns to look Harry dead in the eye; and Harry realized this was the longing Perrie was talking about. The staring and the awkward conversations and the distance between Louis and him...Louis needed Harry. "Haz?"

"Yeah?" Harry hoped he didn't reply too quick. Or too slow. He didn't want anything to disturb this feeling.

"You don't have to buy me a new book. But...would you mind if I read Peter Pan?"

A grin stretched across Harry's face. "Of course you can."

-

**Harry's age: 29 (night after wedding)**

"Wow." Niall says, gazing at Harry and Louis who sat hand in hand against Anya in the breezy night. "They look so...young."

Harry ran his thumb over the silver ring that spanned around Louis' finger, distracted by how fond he felt towards the other boy. It was insane, almost. "Do you feel any different?" Harry broke the silence. "Now that we have the rings, I mean."

Louis shrugged and watched Harry fiddle with his small hand. "No. Not really. Why, do you?"

"A little bit. Responsibility and stuff, I guess."

"Hm." Louis hummed thoughtfully. "I think we'll be just fine. You'll take care of me, right?"

"Of course." Harry answers immediately, because why wouldn't he? His entire heart is filled with Louis and only Louis. Sometimes, he thinks he was born to take care of him.

Louis glances up at the lighthouse behind them. "Do you think Anya is a pretty name? I think her name should be Anya."

Harry smiles and pats the exterior with his free hand. "That's a beautiful name! Now c'mon, let's go." He says, rising to his feet.

"Where are we going?" Louis asks curiously.

"Just follow me." Harry pulls Louis along behind him until they get to the top of the lighthouse. "We're gonna dance." Harry states.

"Dance?" Louis questions. "I'm not good at dancing."

"I'm sure I'm worse." Harry retorts, lacing his fingers through Louis'.

Together, the two danced under the light of the far, far moon.

That is, until Harry stumbled due to his below-average dancing skills, landing hard on the ground. "Ow, my arse!" He exclaimed.

Louis' eyes widened, yet he burst out into a fit of giggles. "Are you-are you alright, Haz?"

"I'm fine." Harry laughed along and stood up, pressing his lips to Louis' the first chance he got. Maybe they didn't have everything in the world, but they had each other and they had Louis' smile. Besides, that's all Harry's ever needed.

-

**Harry's age: 29 (wedding)**

"...To promise to love and comfort, to honor and to keep in sickness and in health, for as long as you shall live?"

Harry couldn't wipe the proud grin off his face as he stood under the alter next to Anya, in their blue and yellow suits, staring into Louis' eyes. It was a ridiculous question. Harry loved Louis more than he loved life itself, and Louis felt the same. But with the relatives and friends gathered around, with the sun setting behind the lighthouse and Louis' mouth twitched up into a smile, it felt perfect to prove that love. "Yeah. I do."

"And do you take this man, standing before you, to be your lawfully wedded husband? To promise to love and comfort, to honor and to keep in sickness and in health, for as long as you shall live?" The man asked Louis.

Louis nodded before taking a deep breath, and proving the love. "I do."

"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and husband." The three turned to the crowd and Harry slyly slipped his hand into Louis'. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. and Mr. Styles-Tomlinson."

Everyone went traditional and started clapping and whooping and hollering, but Niall simply said "Ugh. I hate weddings."

"Why?" Liam questioned.

"I'm just bad at weddings, that's all. Stuff tends to escape my eyes."

"Wow, I didn't know you were so touchy-feely."

"Oh, did I say my eyes? I meant to say my mouth."

Liam chuckled at the blonde headed boy. "That's a lovely image, Niall. C'mon, let's keep moving."

"All this happiness and joy is making you sick too, eh?" Niall joked and nudged Liam's shoulders. But it wasn't a joke to Liam. He eyed the ground and shook his head.

"No. I just don't like watching people make mistakes."

Later at the reception, the two doctors watched Harry with Zayn, catching up with what they assumed was Harry's mum. Although she appeared to be on cloud nine to see her son getting married, something seemed off. "I'm so proud of you, Edward." She says before bumbling off to talk to other relatives.

Zayn squinted and glanced at Harry. "Edward?"

"Oh." Harry says and blushes, his shoulders slumping. "That's my grandfather's name. He passed away before I was born. Mum calls me it as a nickname."

"How come you never told me about it?"

He shrugs in almost a sad manner. "I don't know. Because I just wanna be called Harry. It's who I really am, after all."

-

**Harry's age: 26**

"Are you sure this is necessary?" Harry raised an eyebrow at Louis who walked into the football field, holding the white and black round ball in his hand.

"Yeah! The doctor said it'd be good for my head or something. Besides, I used to play footie all the time when I was younger." Louis flashed a smile at the worried Harry.

Of course, Harry wanted Louis to be happy and to have fun. But Lou already had a delicate body and brain, and any chance of injuring him was a big deal. "Be careful, okay?"

"C'mon, Haz, you're playing with me!" Louis dropped the ball and kicked it midair towards his boyfriend.

If it wasn't obvious, Harry wasn't the best at sports. He fumbled around until the ball was within his reach and simply stared at it. Was this really worth risking Louis' safety?

"What's the matter?" Louis cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled, because that boy was already on the other side of the field. "Kick it back!"

Well, if it made Louis happy, it couldn't be too bad. "Alright!" He yelled in return, kicking the ball back. He ran down the field until he was next to Louis. The smaller boy dribbled the ball between his feet and kicked it directly in the center of the goal. Harry's jaw dropped and he let a breath out in astonishment. "Wow. I didn't know you were  _that_  good."

"Bet you I can reach the ball first."

"Oh, whatever." Harry giggled and started sprinting towards the ball, when he heard an  _oof_  come from behind him. His head turned to see Louis, fallen on the ground. "Shit- Lou, babe, you okay?" He called and ran over, squatting down to check on him.

Louis peaked open one eye and grabbed Harry's by the collar of his shirt, pulling him down on the grass with him. "I'm not that clumsy, Styles. You know I'm just teasing." He laughed. Harry sighed in relief.

"Don't scare me like that!" He shouts fondly like a two-year old, and boy is he fond. Even when he tries to be mad at Louis, he can't help but to lean forward and kiss him. Though, kissing isn't too easy when both people are laughing at each others stupidity.

"I think we can move on. I don't need to see them fuck on a football field." Niall grumbles.

-

**Harry's age: 26 (two weeks before the football game)**

"Is the diagnosis certain?" Harry asks the doctor at his office desk in a shaky voice.

"Yes, we're sure these results are correct. Unfortunately, like many cases of pervasive development disorders, this is a rather late diagnosis. Had you known when you were a child, Mr. Tomlinson, it could've saved you a lot of trouble."

"Do you have any...books? About the disorder?" Louis asks quietly, and Harry's heart swells too big for his chest because even in the darkest of times, Louis still loves to read. And it's such a small thing, too. Who cares if he wants to read, right? To Harry, all these small things just add up to the unlimited love.

The doctor pulls on from his book shelf and hands it to Louis. "This is a very good one for you and Harry to read. It's called 'Everything's Alright'." He hands the book to Louis who snatches it up and begins reading immediately. "Now," The doctor says. "Are you two a couple?"

"Unmarried without any other current legal affiliation." Louis states without looking up.

"And do you plan on unsettling? As in, do you plan to stay together? If you do, I have a perfect counselor in mind."

This time Louis does look up, and he looks at Harry. They both smile, and Louis nods. "Yeah, I plan on staying with Lou for the long haul." Harry says confidently.

Louis looks back down and grins into his new book, and he holds his stuffed platypus a little bit closer.

-

**Harry's age: 16**

"Look." Liam nudges Niall and points at Harry. The young boy sits a few rows ahead of them in the movie theater, all by himself.

"Holy shit!" Niall cackles, throwing his head back. "The kid's at the theater all by himself! What a loser!"

Even though it's in the middle of the movie, Harry stands and walks straight out, sighing quietly.

"Let's follow him." Liam says, and they do. Outside of the theater, Harry sits slumped against the walls that lead to the food court. Obviously, he's by himself. Everyone else is watching movies.

"He's acting too emo." Niall states, laughing a bit. Liam, ignoring Niall, skims over the hall and peaks into the food court.

"I don't see anything here that'll help us, aside from the fact that we now know Harry was kinda lonely. Maybe we should move-"

The door to the theater opens and a young Louis emerges, frowning once he sees Harry.

Harry's eyes flit up to see Louis and his eyes pop out, wide and big. "Louis?" He almosts questions himself as he stands. "You were in there this whole time?" Louis nods. "I waited for you in the lobby, I thought you didn't come!"

"Why did you leave? I thought we were watching the movie together." He says quietly.

"I'm the one who should ask that!"

"What do you mean? We were watching the movie together, and then you left."

"We weren't watching it  _together_...I didn't even know you were there! If you saw me in there, why didn't you come find me?"

"What difference does it make? We were watching the same movie at the same time in the same room."

Yeah, that's kinda true, if you think about it. But Harry being Harry, he burst into a fit of laughter. "You're  _so_  weird." He says, wiping tears from his eyes.

But no, Louis doesn't think it's funny. "Do you not want to watch the movie together anymore?"

"No!" Harry smiles. "Of course I do! In fact, we should probably head back in before it ends. D'you think you could sit by me this time?"

"Yeah." Louis grins and follows Harry back in. "We can sit by each other."

-

**Harry's age: 16 (week before movie date with Louis)**

"C'mon, dude, grow some balls!" Zayn practically yells at Harry in the middle of the empty school hallway.

"It's not that...look, maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Harry says, trying to get away from this.

"What's the worst thing that could happen?" Zayn asks. "Worst case scenario is that he says no. You walk away like nothing happened, no one will know and everyone'll still think you're cool."

"But what if he tells someone? Or yells at me?! Or...or says yes but really means no?!"

"Quit worrying. Who would do that?"

Harry grips Zayn's shoulders and looks at him seriously. "What if he throws a dictionary at my face?! What then?! I'm not even wearing a helmet...Good Lord, I am so not prepared."

"Everything's alright!" Zayn urges, pushing Harry closer and closer to the next hallway, where Louis sat against his locker, reading next to his stuffed platypus.

Before Harry knew it, he stood in front of Louis, stuttering like and idiot and twiddling his thumbs faster than ever. "H-hey, Lou." He steps closer and clears his throat. Probably choking on how awkard everything was. "Um, that's a cool platypus you got there. Erm...what're you reading?"

Louis shrugs, but he clearly knows. "A book."

"About platypuses?"

"No. Lighthouses. There are exactly sixteen second-order Fresnal lens lighthouses in the country left. Nine of them are coastal, and one of them was modified from a historic kerosene lamp lighthouse. Did you know that, Harry?"

"Um," He says. Who in the hell  _did_  know that? "Nope, never knew that. But anyways, Louis....I was thinking. Would you, um, maybe...like to go see a movie with me sometime?"

"I can't." Louis shrugs again.

"It's okay if you don't want to, I-"

"I would love to go to a movie with you, Harry." His head curves up from his book and he warmly smiles at Harry. "But I can't, because I don't know what date or what time."

"Oh." Harry smiles back. Louis was always an outcast at school because of how strange he was, but for some reason, it only made Harry curious to know more about the boy. "How about next Saturday at eight?"

"Yeah. Okay."

"Great!" Harry grins, bouncing on his toes. "We can work out the details later. I'll see you then." He says before stalking off to go tell Zayn.

Later that day, Harry sat in his regular desk for the advanced history class. One of his favorites, because Louis only sat two seats away from him. And boy, was Louis smart.

"Anyone?" The teacher asked, looking around the room to see absolutely no raised hands. "Alright then." She sighed, pointing at Louis. "Go ahead.' She says, like she knows Louis has the right answer.

"He made sail on August 3rd of 1492 from the Spanish city Palos de la Frontera, which was founded in 1322 and granted to Alvar Perez de Guzman who was at the age of 14 by the-"

"Okay, okay, we only needed the date."

Before Harry asked Louis out, he sat in the cafeteria with Zayn and a few other friends at their table, listening to Zayn rattle off bad things about Louis. "Yes, he's unique, but he's uniquelly boring! Just look at him!" He says, the entire table turning there heads to see Louis sitting by himself with his platypus, eating blueberries. "He just sits there by himself with that creepy deformed duck toy."

"It's not a deformed duck. It's a platypus." Harry retorts.

"Well, he's just so...odd, y'know? It's like he's from a totally different planet or something."

"I know!" Harry grins, looking back at Louis. "Isn't that cool?"

"Look, Harry, if you wanna be weird, go hang out with the emos."

"I don't want to ruin my hair." He smirks, tugging on of his curls. "The fact that we got a name for them says a lot too. Look, Zayn...I just don't want to be another typical kid in a typical sea of people."

"All you'd be is some guy who hangs around the shy kid."

"He's not just shy, Zayn. There's something strange about him."

"Strange isn't always good, Haz. Do you even know if he wants to be different? Maybe he wants to be like everyone else."

"Zayn, I know what I need. And Louis has it."

"So you want him for what he has, but not for him? I really hope you know what you're doing." Zayn questions, earning an eyeroll from Liam. This is way too philosophical for highschoolers.

"I do." Harry says shortly.

Niall places his hands on his hips. "Wait, so this guy is some human-hogging hipster. That's douche-y. And, a tongue-twister too."

"You know, sometimes I wanna slap our clients upside the head." Liam grumbles.

"It's highschool. Everyone's a bastard. But hey, welcome to the club."

Liam once again rolls his eyes but pauses in realization. He turns to Niall, gapping. "Wait! This is what Harry told Louis at the cliff!"

"I guess so. You think that's why he went nuts and starting making rabbits?"

"No," Liam shook his head. "That wouldn't make sense. Why rabbits? They have to be important somewhere in Louis' past. It has to go deeper than this."

"That's what she said-"

"Shut the fuck up."

-

**Harry's age: 12**

Early in the morning, the sun shown through the window above the kitchen sink as Harry walked in and grabbed his book bag off of the kitchen table. "I'm going to school, mum." He pulls the bookbag on himself, ready for his first day of 7th grade.

"Have a good day, Edward." She smiles warmly. "My baby boy, growing up so fast."

Harry sighs and walks out the door.

"Ugh, what if he was a girl? Would his mum still nickname him after his grandfather?" Liam questions, watching the door shut lightly.

"Maybe it's not  _just_  a nickname." Niall states.

-

**Harry's age: System Malfunction**

"Liam?" Niall says soft-spoken with a glazed face, examining the surroundings. There was nothing. The entirety of this place was completely white, going on infinitely. Nothing like this had ever happened before. "What's going on?" He asks, turning to see what his partner was looking at. When he faced the opposite side, his jaw slacked. "What the hell is that?!" Niall says, raising a hand to point, his body shaking.

Beyond the white, there was dark. A pitch black space of void it was, surrounding Harry's childhood house. "That's his next memory." Liam says thickly.

"But why is it going crazy on us?" Niall says shrill.

"I don't know, it's just not linking the memories together for construction." He replies dully, but his fearful expression was clearly obvious. "There must be a malfunction within the system."

"Again?" Niall pained wrathfully. "Those idiots in the maintenance department said we'd be good for the next year!"

"Don't worry." Liam instructs, though he himself was very scared. He knows he has to keep Niall under control. "We already have Harry's teenage years saved. We might still be able to do this."

Niall pulls the remote from his lab coat pocket and stares at it gravefully. "I was actually looking forward to his childhood. But we need to head back to present time. We'll talk to Lou or Lux and see if we're missing something."

"Alright." Liam agrees. "And Niall, don't worry. If this doesn't work out, we'll be okay. One client won't ruin us."

Niall shakes his head, brooding. "I'm not worried about us. I'm worried about Harry."

**_END OF ACT 1_ **


	2. Act 2: Stuck At The Far End of The Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> much shorter than the first!!! but i promise I just finished the last act and it's a bit over 8,000 words so the story is far from over!!  
> in this chapter Niall and Liam realize that something is wrong with Harry's memories, but they have to fix it before it's too late gasp dun dun dun. filled with coffee breaks and heart to heart talks, I present act 2! enjoy and please comment and kudos! and bookmark! shower me with love!! x

**_ACT 2:_ **

**_"Billions of lighthouse...stuck at the far end of the sky."_ **

**_-_ **

**Harry's age: 68 (one month before present time, returning to lighthouse scene)**

"And that's all I know, sorry. My memory's getting pretty weak as I get older." Harry chuckles, his face pale under the glints of light in the royal blue sky.

"Then it'll have to be enough." Niall says shortly. "All that's left to do is linking your registered desire to go to the moon from your early memories. Then we'll pull the switch, and bam! You'll be on the moon in no time. Thanks for helping us."

As Liam turned to continue time traveling with Niall, Harry piped up in a brittle voice. "I have a question. You made Lou disappear, a few minutes ago. And that means you can alter this world. Then...can you not simply make things happen, and fulfill my wish here and now?"

"That would work, if this were your one true set of memories." Liam says matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean?" Harry pleads for an answer. "What is this, then? What am I?"

"This is just a copy. A canvas for us to work with, if you will. As for you, you're simply an algorithm traced from the real Harry, because you're not him. Enough to appear as him, but far from complete. All we can do is to prepare this canvas in a logically consistent way. And then when we transfer your registered desire from your childhood, the machine will generate your new life, one where the desire controls your behavior. The result of that would then be written to the real Harry. So, you see, even if we satisfy you,  _you_ are only a 'read-only' program. I mean, we could reset you over and over again-"

"Liam." Niall says harshly, for once keeping his partner from going to far. "That's enough."

"Don't be so sensitive, Ni. He's not real, y'know."

"If you truly believed that, why would you care to explain?" He retorts.

"Let's just go." Liam gives up, pressing the remote for him, leaving Niall. Just as the blonde-headed boy is about to push the button, Harry speaks.

"Doctor," He says meekly. "Is that...what I truly am?"

But he doesn't reply. He pushes the button, and leaves Harry.

-

**Harry's age: Memento Processor (Harry is not present)**

"These are all of the items that help Harry's memories become linked together." Liam says upon entering continued white space, with small items all sorted out in a row.

"Look, though. The platypus is basically every other memento." Niall points out. The odd duck sits near footballs, paper rabbits, and all sorts of things. "That must mean that Harry can't remember the item that linked to his childhood."

"That could be it...or maybe, his memories were cut off."

"Cut off?" Niall cocks his head in curiosity. "What do you mean by-"

The remote in his pocket buzzes, and he pulls it out quickly. "Oh, shit." He mumbles, flipping it on. "It's Harry's heart monitor. He's going pretty fast. We don't have a lot of time."

"Alright." Liam spares a glance at the items and snatches the remote. "We better continue on, then."

-

**Harry's age: 68 (in front of house now)**

"This is the same setting as his real last accessible memory." Liam groans when the night reappears.

"That's strange." Niall notes. "Usually there's at least some change."

"...Something isn't right." Liam chokes out. It was true. On a normal case, they'd have the clients wish granted in five hours or so. But the night is nearing it's end, and the source of Harry's wish is still vacant. "These memories...they feel more than just having happened again...they are  _exactly_  the same."

"That's impossible." Niall grits his teeth. "The desire was transferred, right?"

"It was. That's the strange thing. If this is definitely the same memory, then Harry will be up by Anya with Lou."

"Let's go check."

The two walk quickly up to the cliff, the wind tossing hair and sending chills down their backs. A simple system malfunction has sent the company spiralling. If something happens, the two could lose their jobs. But for some reason, that didn't feel important. Saving Harry was the priority.

And, there he was.

In the same spot, he sat next to Lou on the bench, watching waves crash against Anya's cliff.

"Harry?" Liam says shakily.

Once he turned and saw them, him and Lou stood. Harry flashed a smile and managed a small wave. "You scared us. Sorry, we're not used to having visitors. But what a nice surprise."

"Alright, this is some serious Deja Vu." Niall mumbles quietly to Liam.

"My name is Dr. Liam Payne, and this is..." He trails off, peeking at Niall.

He stands there clueless until Liam nudges him. "What? I'm not saying it twice."

"...Dr. Niall Horan. Are you familiar with the Sigmund Agency of Life Generation?"

"Oh, are you from the company? That's a coincidence, I was just thinking about calling you. Lou, fetch us some tea, please." Harry politely insisted, using his raspy thick voice. Once again, Niall pressed a button and Lou disappeared.

"Freeze him." Liam quickly remarks. Niall hits the other button and Harry freezes in place. "I'll go send the desire signal again. See if there are any changes." Liam says before pulling out his own remote. His thumb jammed the button. "Any changes?" He asks Niall.

"Not even a hair." Niall says. "How could this happen? Even if his desire doesn't work alone, why is there no change at all?"

"Maybe...it needs some provoking to be activated."

"From his early memories?"

"The earliest we can get to. Let's go."

-

**Harry's age: 16**

There Harry and Louis stood, laughing together outside of the theater.

"We might be able to do some change here." Liam says to Niall, who nods. "This is gonna be weird." He says before pressing the change surroundings button. Suddenly, the posters that displayed their original movie switched to a different poster. One with a moon on it, that read ' _To The Moon'_.

"Let's go back in now." Harry says. They begin walking, but Harry stops when he notices to posters change. Louis bumps into his back, managing an 'oof'.   
"Sorry Louis, I was just...this isn't the movie we were watching!" He says like it's the most ridiculous thing he's ever heard. "Oh well." Harry sighs. "It's fine with me. Do you mind, Louis?"

"No." He shakes his head. "I like this one."

"Alright, let's go then!" Harry leads him back in the dark room.

"Hopefully that'll be enough." Liam says. "We should go back to Anya at age 68 to check."

-

**Harry's age: 68**

"You've got to be fucking kidding." Niall practically states. There Harry and Lou sat, not the slightest bit of change was apparent.

"Guess we should go farther. How about, the time when Harry asked Louis for the date?"

"If it doen't work I'm going to scream."

"Well, fingers crossed."

-

**Harry's age: 16**

"What the..." Liam peered around his surroundings. "Where's Niall?" He said to himself. The blonde was nowhere to be seen. Louis was still sitting against his locker reading about lighthouses and Harry was getting teased by Zayn.

"So, did he throw a dictionary at your face? Huh?" Zayn questioned with a smirk.

Before Harry could answer, another boy leaned in from the gym and called out towards them. "Guys, get in here before it starts! There's still good seats left!"

"I don't remember that happening...something must've changed!" Liam followed Harry and Zayn to the gym, or, gym/auditorium. It was filled with teenagers, all waiting for the upcoming to be finished.

"Wait a minute..." Liam says, finally understanding why Niall was gone. "This isn't a real change, this is-"

_"May I have your attention, please?!"_  Niall bellowed into the microphone on stage. He winked at Liam and flashed a big 'thumbs up' before continuing. "As you all know, I am a representative sent from NASA. And I'm here...to tell you all about it. I know many of you are wondering, 'What chances do I have of doing something as awesome as adventuring another realm?' To bask under Venus, to ride the rings of Saturn...or perhaps, maybe just be chillin' on the friggin' moon! Here at NASA, we believe that with enough will, everyone has potential. It could be you!" He points at Liam.  
"Or you!" He points at a random student.  
"Or perhaps...YOU!" He says the loudest, stopping in front of Harry.

"But I don't want to go to the moon." Harry states simply.

"What?" Niall barks. "Why not?"

"Why should I? I'm happy here on earth as it is."

"Don't you want to go...just a little bit?" Niall urges.

"No, why?"

"Not even a tiny bit?"

"Um...no?"

Niall stares Harry in the eyes for a few seconds, and Harry slowly becomes more and more creeped out. Liam face palms because he knows what he's doing. If Niall doesn't get what he wants, he stares until he gets it. And it never works.

Once he realizes that Harry won't say yes, he puts a smile back on and holds the microphone back up to his lips. "Well, as an official NASA recruiter, I should go over some facts about to moon! The moon is about 4.5 billion years old! And did you know its surface is as big as Africa? Also, it takes 1.5247 seconds for light to travel to the moon from here. And if you drive a flying car, it takes 130 days! And last but not least, people who go to the moon get rich and famous! That concludes my presentation. Remember! NASA welcomes any of you! Especially if you're a brunette."

Once the gym cleared, Liam couldn't help but smile as he slowly clapped for Niall when he walked off the stage. "Bravo, Dr. Horan! Bravo!"

Niall jokingly curtsied and laughed along. "Why, thank you, Dr. Payne. Would you believe me if I said I thought of that in less than 10 minutes?"

"I would believe you if you said it took 30 seconds." Liam scoffed.

"You're so rude!" He says, poking his tongue out. "I can't believe I picked such a meanie to be my best friend."

Liam's chuckling slowed down and his heart sped up. He had always considered Niall as the coworker he had a crush on. Hearing Niall call him his best friend may have been the best thing on this shift that's ever happened. "Well, my best friend just gave a 20 minute presentation on a planet he's never been to for a company he's never worked for, so it's safe to say that I'm a jerk and you're an idiot. But, that's okay because I love you too much."

"Aw, Li." He cooed. "You're too kind." Niall said as he kissed Liam's cheek. "I think it's time we check for changes, however. Harry doesn't have much time left."

-

**Harry's age: 68**

"Liam, plug your ears."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"...Okay." He says warily, holding his fingers to his ears. Niall took in a deep breath and screamed, loud and big and scary. He stopped once his throat hurt too much. "What the hell was that?" Liam snapped.

"I said last time that if nothing changed, I would scream. And nothing's changed, so we have to keep going. This just isn't working."

"It's more than not working, it's ridiculous. We're fucking professionals, I didn't sign up to be taking guesses on this!"

"You didn't?" Niall joked, Liam groaning in response. "Look, maybe this lack of sleep is getting to us. If I'd known we'd be pulling an all-nighter, I would've brought some coffee. As valuable as time is here, it's just not working."

"Let's take a break till morning. Hopefully Harry can hold on until then."

"I do have some calls to make."

-

**Harry's age: 68 (present time)**

"Okay. Yes, we checked. It was transferred. Yes. Yes!" Niall was clearly frustrated with the opposite end of his phone call. He gripped the handle of his mug.

Liam entered the kitchen after talking with Harry's medical doctor to see Niall. The first thing he said was "Where did you get that coffee?!"

"Shh. I'm talking to the boss." Niall says, returning to his call. "No, he didn't. Harry's gonna kick it soon so we'd like some answers."

"Fill me in later." Liam instructed before leaving the room in search of Lou.

He found her in Lux's room, tucking the child in bed. "But mum, I don't want to go to school."

"It's Sunday, dear." Lou says before kissing her forehead. "I have to talk to Dr. Payne now. Go back to sleep." She hushed, flicking the lamp off. "Let's talk in the living room." She whispered.

Thankfully, when they sat down, she passed Liam a mug of very strong coffee. "I'm sorry we've been keeping you up. We haven't had a case as difficult as Harry since a woman named Eleanor Calder, and that was three years ago. Niall is talking to our boss, so I was wondering if there's anything you know about Harry or Louis, even Anya, that might help us?"

"Anya?" Lou cocked her head, hair falling from her shoulder.

"Oh, I..." Liam stammered. Harry must not have told her. However, it's against policy to speak of anything you see in client memory's to people outside of the company. "It's a thing that, um...was a friend of them. Just forget it. But, Harry and Louis. Anything you know about them would be of help now."

"I'm sorry, it's just...I never met Louis, and Harry didn't like talking about his past. I know that Harry never threw away those paper bunnies. And his favorite book is Peter Pan. I've seen him reading it by the lighthouse when he visits Louis, like he's reading it to him. I know that the platypus is actually from Harry's very young childhood. That's all I know. Sorry."

Liam nodded, sipping his drink. "You know, it's unusual that you do this job. With a child and all, I mean."

"It's not that bad, really. There's a school bus that passes through here."

"How did you end up with this job?" Liam questioned.

Lou smiled sadly and looked down in her lap. "Well...a few years ago, my husband died. He was in the army...they were the last batch to be deployed overseas, and I panicked. Our savings were low and the job market was grim. This place was peaceful, too. It helped me with my grieving."

"Erm," He began, not wanting to sound rude. "Doesn't the government issue grants to war widows?"

She nodded. "Yeah. And, I received aid, eventually. But by then, Harry was starting to have troubles on his own...he needed my help. Lux liked this place, too. So we stayed. As for Harry...he was happy." Lou's eyes said all the emotions she refrained from telling Liam, like a gate to the despair she bottled up from the rest of the world. "...We're going to miss Harry. I think deep down, he really wanted a family."

He did. Liam could assume that just from looking at him. "This is your full time job, isn't it? If you don't mind me asking, what do you plan on doing once this is over?"

Lou looked up and stared out the window, watching the seagulls swoop down into the ocean for an early breakfast. "What else is there to do? Find a job in the city and live on, I suppose. It's a shame though. I'm going to miss Harry and this place. Maybe I'll come back to visit once and a while. I know Harry is going to have his grave, right next to Louis in front of the lighthouse. It's quite sweet, but...it's sad. The man led a sad life, and from what little I've heard, Louis did too. I guess, in the end...I'm really glad I got to meet Harry."

Liam smiled. It was nice to hear someone open up. "I'm not allowed to speak of patient's pasts, but...I've literally seen Harry's life flash before my eyes, and I know him very well. So I'd just like to say...having you and Lux around really made him happy."

Niall poked his head out from the kitchen door, holding his phone closed tight in his hand. "Li, we gotta talk."

Liam turned to walk, barely hearing Lou quietly murmur: "Thank you."

He followed Niall back into the kitchen. Judging by the redness in his face, something was about to make Liam mad, too. "What's up?" He casually asked.

"It seems that Harry has some hidden records from the old days. Hidden  _medical_  records, to be exact. Apparently, during his youth, he was administered a large dose of enhanced beta blockers. And the side effects of them are what's preventing us from moving on!"

"What's the side effect?" Liam pushed to keep going.

"Memory loss. Harry can't remember anything past him leaving for seventh grade, when his mum called him Edward. Harry didn't have a heart condition, he had beta blockers!"

"So what do we do? Did the boss say anything?"

"I was just given the reconfiguration frequencies that we can get past the blockers. And once we're in his childhood, it might finally be early enough to transfer the desire."

"What if that's where the desire is? What if something in his childhood made him want to go to the moon, but he just can't remember it?"

"It's possible." Niall nodded. "And with all the questions we've had, I think you might be right."

"So what're we waiting for?" Normally when the mystery to a case is cracked, they're this excited because they can go home. It was different now. They were  _finally_  going to see why Harry wants to go to the moon.

"There's just one thing...to activate the new frequencies, we need a trigger. Something Harry will be able to smell or feel, even taste in his unconsciousness that'll bring back memories."

Liam's eyes shot up. "The platypus!"

"Pardon?"

"I was just talking to Lou outside. She said that the stuffed platypus we saw Louis carrying around was a strong part and she knows it's from Harry's childhood! It he just felt the texture from it, we could see his childhood!"

"I have it with me." Niall spoke calmly, pulling the animal from his pocket. Before Liam could ask, he explained. "These are deep pockets."   


They all gathered by Harry's bed. "Once Harry holds this stuffed animal, he should regain memories. If it doesn't work, we'll have to find other mementos." Liam explained to Lou and the medical doctor. He grabbed Harry's hand and placed the platypus on the palm, slowly watching Harry curl his fingers around it.

Liam and Niall made there way for the machine again, pulling the traveling remote out. Niall looked at the other two. "We're going to try and make it to Harry's farthest childhood. If that doesn't work, we'll be back in a few minutes. Make sure that Harry doesn't let go of that stuffed animal." He directed.

"Good luck, you two." Lou wished. "You're going to need it."

**_END OF ACT 2_ **


	3. Act 3: They Shine Their Lights At Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it would appear the story is coming to a closing! i know this bc i wrote it. oh. anyways, as I promised, this is much longer than the last chapter! in this act, niall and liam are notified that Harry is close to dying and they must move quickly. but for an odd reason, harry's earliest memories are malfunctioning. also includes the scene where louis and harry meet, which was my favorite to write :) enjoy!x

 

> **_ACT 3:_ **
> 
> **_"They shine their lights at the other lighthouses, and at me."_ **

**_-_ **

**Harry's age: 9**

Harry sat at his desk, thoroughly reading his copy of Peter Pan once Niall and Liam arrived in his childhood house. "We need the source. The reason Harry took beta blockers. Check the scanner." Liam ordered Niall, who hastily pressed a remote button.

In the corner of the room, a football lit up dimly. "There it is! Take it to the memento processor." said Niall. They grabbed it and headed on.

Once they were back in the Memento Processor, the white space didn't end at Harry's house. It was everywhere, like they were stuck on a raft in the ocean. "To think that this thing was causing us so much trouble..." Niall grimaced. "I just wanna kick it straight to hell."

"I suppose all we can do now is send the signal and hope for the best." Liam puffed out a breath, and resent the desired signal.

Back in present time, Niall and Liam's main machine flashed a yellow light.

In the white space, it was not still and quiet anymore. A loud crash noise was heard, and the private world shook. "Somethings happening." Liam glanced around. "Quick! Send it again!"

Niall pressed the button and another crash was heard. "What's going o-" All of the white space quickly faded into a hue of red, the world shaking. Niall pulled the device from his pocket and fell his face fall. "Liam, Harry's been destabilized! They're going to reconfigure his intake levels!"

Liam peered at Niall, and in all serious, his eyes widened, his expressionless barely moved as he spoke to Niall. "Get out."

Niall's jaw slacked at Liam, his eyes welled with surprise. "What?"

"Get out of his memory.  _Now_."

"What're you talking about?!" He huffed.

"If the system doesn't re stabilize soon, the shock might permanently damage whoever's in here. You have to leave, Niall!" Liam pleaded.

It made sense, but it didn't. The system was crashing, and everything they worked for was being destroyed. It dug a pit into Niall's gut because Liam was right. If they stayed in the now red space, they'd die. And Liam was choosing Niall over himself. "Why aren't you getting out, then?!" Niall yelled.

"I can't! If both of us get out under this state, all our work will be reset...there won't be enough time to redo all we've done before Harry-"

"Oh, you fucking- don't pull that contrived crap on me! This isn't a movie and you're not a hero, you're just being a moron!" Niall argued, trying to stay mad and ignore the water that blurred his vision.

"Then why are you being one too? Get the hell out of here!"

"Liam, if you're gone, the company will probably pair me up with Nick Grimshaw! Do you know how bad he smells?! Worse than that squirell I hit earlier!"

"Dammit Niall! Just-"

Liam was cut off when the earthquake-like motion halted, and the space turned white again. "He..." they turned and saw the house was now back. "He's been restabalized." Liam sighed with relief.

"Oh my God, you-" Niall practically growled. "You scared the shit out of me Liam!" Suddenly the few tears he fought back began to spill, and he almost tackled Liam with the force he shot into hugging him. "I thought you were going to die! I-I...you know I didn't mean to call you a moron, right?"

"You know I did, right?"

"Fuck you." Niall spoke into the mans chest.

"We should probably get out of here before that happens again." Liam said warmly, rubbing soothing circles on Niall's back. "Let's go."

-

**Harry's age: 7**

Once the two doctors left the horrific white space, AKA, once Niall finished his meltdown, they appeared in the backyard of Harry's childhood house. "There's something I don't like about this place." Liam said gently.

"How come?" Niall asked.

"Didn't you notice anything strange in Harry's bedroom earlier?"

"No...did you?"

"I did. But forget it. I just hope I'm wrong." Liam licked his lips and walked on the side of the house to the front yard, where they saw Harry's mum, Anne, talking to a neighbor beside her car in the driveway.

"This time overlapping is getting ridiculous. Look, there's two of them!" Niall pointed at Harry, and, well, another Harry? One was dribbling a football on the sidewalk and the other sat in grass, picking dandelions and putting them in his pile of weeds that he must've mistaken for flowers.

Anne glaned at the watch on her wrist. "Oh, I really have to get going. The store closes early today."

"I'll see you soon, Anne. Say hello to the boys for me." The neighbor smiled and made her way back to gardening her landscape.

"Who's the boys?" Niall questioned.

"This memory is too peaceful, there had to be some reason we traveled here- shit. I know what's happening." Liam nodded towards Anne as she started her car.

The boy who looked similar to Harry began kicking the ball towards the house, on the driveway. Flower Harry's eyes shot up, and he barely had a chance to process what was happening before the seven year old screamed "Get out of the way!"

The car backed up, and with a thud, the little boy fell to the ground, his football rolling away. Once Anne heard the noise, she pulled forward and got out of the car, slamming the door shut and running towards her son. Harry toddled to him and crouched beside him, tears streaming down his face. "I'm surprised Harry survived that crash." Niall says.

"Actually...he didn't."

"What do you mean?"

Liam's brows furrowed and he was filled with immense sadness at the sight. "Didn't you notice it in Harry's bedroom?" Niall shook his head, a motion for Liam to continue. "...Harry slept on a bunk bed."

"Edward!" Harry screamed as he fell to his knees next to the boy. "Eddy? Can you hear me? Edward?" Harry pleaded for his brother to answer him, but he was answered by a loud silence. He peered up at Anne and blinked through tears. "Why did you hit Edward, mum? Why did you hit him?"

He sniffed loudly before turning back to the other boy, continuing to beg for a sign of life.

"Oh my God..." Niall breathed. "That's...that's terrible."

"Even though they were so young, to lose a twin brother. Not to mention how their mother must feel." Liam managed to say.

"At least Harry had the beta blockers to forget this. Not like he remembers much of it."

"He didn't forget it. They were just unlinked." Liam said while turning to Niall. "I'm sure this had a side effect on Harry's later memories."

"What about their mother?"

"I don't think she took the beta blockers. The tragedy must have driven her slightly mental. At least, I didn't think that  _Edward_  was just a nickname for him."

"But if she takes Harry for Edward, then what about Harry himself?"

Liam sighed. "This is why after the wedding, Zayn asked why Harry didn't want him to call him Edward. Harry said because that's not who he really is. I don't like it here, Niall. Let's keep going."

-

**Harry's age: 7 (one night before the crash)**

"You should totally read this book!" Edward gushed as he swung his legs from the top bunk, practically digging his nose into the copy of  _Peter Pan._  Harry sat at the desk and focused on his math homework. "I mean, it's just so awesome! I've already read it twice! "

"What's it called?" Harry slightly looked up.

" _Peter Pan_! It's about this boy who lives in a place called Neverland, and he can fly, and there's a mermaid lagoon and a magic moon and a skull rock, and he never grows up!"

"I don't like that weird magical stuff."

"How come? It's great! Instead of going to boring school, he gets to fight pirates like Captain Hook! Just watch, Harry. One day, I'm going to be a famous writer. I'll write the coolest book ever, and every kid will get it for free. I'll make us rich, and buy both you and mum big houses!"

"How would you get any money if you give it for free?"

"It's free for kids! The parents will still have to pay, duh."

"Sounds dumb."

Edward moaned and closed his book, setting it next to him. "What, you're still mad about the other day? Aw, you know I grabbed first dibs on the train fair and square!" He says, motioning to the toy train that laid on the floor. What happened to your prize, anyways?"

"I gave it away." Harry said shortly.

"To a hobo?"

"It's not just about that day!" Harry finally fumed, turning to face his brother. "...You know mum always liked you more."

"That's not true!"

"Remember last Christmas? And last Easter, and the time we went fishing, and-"

"Alright, you can have my train if you want it!" Edward huffed.

Harry's anger turned to admiration. He was jealous of him, but he really did love his brother. "...Really?"

"Yeah! And if what you said is right, mum will just buy me another one."

Back to anger.

"Listen. Harry, what difference does it make who 'owns' what? Everything that's mine is yours too. I mean, we both get to play with it, right?"

Harry's mouth twitched into a smile. "Right."

"Right! I mean, c'mon, you're my twin brother! You're like a part of me."

Anne called them for dinner and the two left the room.

"This is the saddest client we've ever worked with." Niall mumbled.

"Why, what's making you sad now?" Liam asked.

"Well...Edward wanted to become a famous author, but he died. Even though Harry didn't remember him, Harry was the one who became an author. And he doesn't want to do that, he wants to go to the moon!"

"That's the point." Liam clapped a hand on the white lab coat on Niall's shoulder. "Don't focus on the sad stuff. Our job is to know why Harry wants the moon."

-

**Harry's age: 7 (one week before crash)**

"It's some kind of carnival..." Niall mused, gazing around the vast space filled with colored lights, games and booths of all kind. "And it's on the space that Harry and Louis built their house. There's Anya right there." Niall pointed up to a cliff, far, but visible.

"We should look around." Liam said typically, always wanting to get down to business.

They took time to observe every stand. Well, Niall did. He approached one where a man was selling fresh fruits, from what his sign said. "Wait a minute," Niall picked up a tomato tossed it gently in the air, catching it with his opposite hand. "This isn't a fruit."

"Uh, yeah, it is." Liam giggled. "Stop wasting time."

They kept walking, Niall standing closly to Liam in the crowd, even though they pass right through people. Maybe it was an excuse to be close to Liam.

At the next booth, Harry complained to his mum. "But I don't want this stupid toy! I want the train!"

"That's the only train left, kid." The man explained. "Would you like to exchange your prize?"

"No," He grumbled. "I just want the train."

"Harry," Anne warned. "Edward won it fair and square, didn't he?"

"But I won too! He just got to go first!"

"I'll let you play with it too, Harry!" Edward smiled, feeling his mum place a hand on his shoulder.

"See how nice your brother is, Harry? Now, c'mon, dumplings, let's not block the stand." She took both boys by the hand and moved on.

"I'm not a dumpling." Harry murmured.

Niall looked at Liam with a face of glee. "I'm going to call you dumpling from now on."

They followed Anne and the boys to a snack stand. The family got their treats and sat at a bench, happily slurping it and enjoying the atmosphere. Harry did, at least. Edward was eating a different treat. "I don't understand you, Ed! How can you stand those? They're just so sour...and icky."

Edward pretended to be astounded. "Sour and awesome is what you mean! Just try one."

"You should try it, Harry." Anne says. "Who knows? Maybe it'll become your favorite food."

Harry plucked one from the container Edward held them in and pushed it past his lips, slowly chewing the blueberry and puckering his face. "I ate it!" He announced. "And I'm done. Can I go play, mum?" He asked.

"Alright. Go to the playground, if you like. Not an inch farther!"

Niall and Liam followed Harry to the playground, but Harry, being to shy, decided he didn't want to ask for a turn on the swings and that the line for the slide was a bit too long. He glanced around to see if there was any other equipment, when a log crossing a small stream caught his eye. Looking back to see if his mum was watching, he stepped across it and kept moving up the cliff. Harry peered up into the sky, admiring the millions of stars that twinkled like holes in a royal blue bedsheet. "Wow..." He breathed, not noticing he had company. He walked up and sat on the bench next to the lighthouse, not taking his eyes from the sky.

"You know..." Niall began. "When I was a lad, my grandfather took me stargazing every year."

"Yeah?" Liam asked, but more as pushed for Niall to keep talking. He loved the Irish accent.

"There was a hill outside the city that we stayed at, the same one each year. We'd watch the stars till daybreak. Well, I did, mostly. He just carried the telescope for me. The thing was though, mum didn't really want me staying up late. Grandpa always told her we were camping, and hid the telescope in the car. Which was all good, but when we got back in the morning, I had to pretend like I'd actually slept! So, in conclusion, that's the story of how I started my caffeine addiction."

Liam smiled warmly at him in a way that expressed all his fondness with just a twitch of his lips, a crinkle by his eyes, and heartbeat just a little bit louder. Maybe he really loved Niall. "I like that story."

Niall grinned back to show thanks. "Yeah. Me too."

Still, Liam was faced with an overbearing sadness. "It's a shame though. Harry has all these lost memories, never to be found. They're nice too. And who knows how many more like this?"

"Eh," Niall shrugged and tilted his chin up, watching the stars once more. "Just take it moment by moment, right?"

"Mm-hm."

A rustling in the leaves that laid on the grass made the three snap their necks back to see what caused the surprising noise. It wasn't a particularly windy night, and the memory had nothing remarkable happen yet...

The rustling stopped, and out walked a 7 year old Louis. Harry's face brightened at the sight of company, and he kindly said "Hello! 'm Harry! Who're you?"

This was the biggest part in Harry's history. The moment he met Louis, right next to the place they married at, and their graveyard. 7 year olds don't understand value of a simple cliff over the ocean, but they will.

Louis stepped back, timid around the new person. "You're at my spot."

Harry looked down at the old bench he sat on, and back up to Louis. "Your spot? Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hog this place to myself. You can sit with me!"

Louis stuffed his hands in his pocket and rocket on the balls of his feet. "Are you here to watch the stars?"

"Uh huh. Watch them with me! Please?" Harry looked at the other boy with doe eyes, inviting him to sit. Louis obliged and delicately sat next to Harry.

"Just look at 'em..." Harry gaped at the trillions of stars in the sky. "There's not this many from my backyard. Did you know there were so many lights in the sky?"

"Yup." Louis popped the 'p'.

"Oh, uh...I did too." Harry smirked, probably happy that he didn't make himself look dumb in front of the new pretty boy. "You said this was your spot, right?"

"Only during the carnival." Louis answered.

"I get it. I don't like being around so many people. You know, you still haven't told me your name yet."

"I'm not telling you." Louis stated simply. "Everyone makes fun of it because you say it different than what it looks like."

If that were Liam's child, he would correct their grammar immediately. But he didn't want to ruin the moment.

"It can't be worse than 'Harry'." He retorted. "I mean, everyone in England is named Harry! Everyone in the world is named Harry!"

"Even in China?"

"Probably!" Harry says, puffing air through his nostrils.

"What's wrong with having a name that everyone has?" Louis asked.

"It's boring, I guess. If everyone has it, then what's the point?"

"I wouldn't mind it." Louis says dreamily. "Just for once, to be the same as everyone else? That sounds awesome. It's like those lights in the sky. They all look the same from here, but that doesn't make them any less pretty."

"I suppose." Harry sighed. It was becoming hard to keep up with this boy. He was really smart. "What do you think those stars are up there anyways?"

"My mum says their giant burning spheres of gas." Louis shrugged.

"Oh, I bet she's just making it up."

"Why would she lie to me?" Louis asks seriously, defending his mother.

"Because, y'know, that's what grown-ups do. They make things up. Santa, Easter Bunny, kangaroos...stuff like that." Harry tried to say smartly. He heard an older girl at his school say they weren't real, but he honestly still believed in them.

"Have you...ever made a bunny out of stars?" Louis questions nervously, twiddling his thumbs.

"Like a constipation?"

"It's  _constellation_. Have you?"

"Um, of other things. Never tried a rabbit, though."

"...Do you want to make one?"

"Yeah!" Harry nods excitedly. "We'll make the bestest constellpation ever! Let's see who makes one first." He says, and they both focus their eyes on the big blue sky. "Okay, we'll starts in 3...2....1...go-"

"I see it." Louis says immediately, smiling up at the stars.

"Where?"

"In the sky."

"Where in the sky?"

"Think big."

"Uh..."

"Bigger than all the others."

"...I dunno...wait a minute! Wait a minute! I see it!" Harry almost bounces from his seat.

"Tell me what you see."

He points at a group of stars that make two points sitting on top of the moon, pointing up. "Those are ears, and a head!"

"What else?"

"Two feet lower down!"

"Good. What else?"

"And...and the moon! The moon is its big round tummy!"

Louis smiles fondly and nods. "That's it! Isn't it a beautiful rabbit? It's my favorite animal."

"Yeah." Harry agrees, staring at the constellation.

They sat in silence, absorbing each others company and basking as the moon flowed on to the earth. It turned the dark colors darker and light colors pale, like they were swimming deep in the ocean.

But, children aren't good with silence. "What do you think they really are? I mean, what do you think the stars are?" Harry wondered.

Louis bashfully looks down at his dainty hands in his lap, like he doesn't want to say. But after a night of constellation making with Harry, maybe it's time someone knew. "I...I've never told anyone, but...I've always thought they were lighthouses. Billions of lighthouses, stuck at the far end of the sky."

"It must be so lively up there." Harry smirks.

"But it isn't. They can see all the other lighthouses out there, and they want to talk to them. But they can't, because they're all too far apart to hear what each other's saying. All they can do is shine their lights. So...that's what they do. They shine their lights at other lighthouses, and at me."

"Why you?" Harry asks curiously.

Louis sighs happily at looks back up at the rabbit. "Because one day...I'm going to befriend one of them."

Louis decides to change the subject and point at the prize Harry won. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's just the prize I won from the whac-a-mole. Did you get to play that game?"

"I tried, but I'm too clumsy. What's the prize?"

"I don't really know what it is. You can look at it." Harry hands over the stuffed prize to his new friend. "It's some kind of weird duck...beaver thing."

Louis gasps once he sees it and cuddles it close to his chest. "Harry! Do you know what this is?"

"I just said no."

"It's a platypus! Do you know what a platypus is? My  _second_  favorite animal!" Louis almost bursts with joy, but loosens his grip once he hears a woman call Harry's name.

"Oh no, that's mum calling." Harry pouts, wanting to stay with his new friend longer.

"...Here." Louis offers the stuffed animal back to Harry.

"You know what? Keep it, it's yours."

"Mine?"

"Yeah. I can just get another. I don't like to brag, but I'm the best at whac-a-mole."

Louis thanks him by continuing to grip the animal tightly, nuzzling the head close. "Will you be here next year, Harry?"

"Yup. Will you?"

"I will."

"Same place, same time?" Harry tries to speed things up, knowing his mum will be furious with him leaving.

"Yeah! But...what if you forget, or get lost?" Louis asks fearfully, never hoping such would happen.

"You're so silly. Just go to the moon, and that's where you'll find me." Harry says like Louis asked the most ridiculous question ever. "Right on the rabbits tummy."

Anne called once more, and Harry yelled "I'm coming!" To reassure he was on his way. He waved bye to the friend whom he never learned a name, and hiked down the cliff.

"If they ever get lost..." Niall mused. "Wait, does that mean-"

"Don't tell me you didn't see that coming." Liam gripes.

"Well, here I thought this was going to be an inspirational childhood story."

"I guess now...we know what we must do to send him to the moon."

"Wait, you aren't actually going to do it, are you?" Niall turns to Liam.

"It's our job, Niall." Liam sighs sadly, as if he had no other choice. "It's what we're contracted to do." Liam pulled his remote from his pocket and pressed his travel button.

"Damn it Liam, wait-" Niall was cut off by his disappearing before he could stop Liam from making the mistake. He looked at Louis, seeing the boy stare at the moon before he followed Liam.

-

Harry's age: 16 (back in school cafeteria)

Niall appeared in the school cafeteria, noticing that Liam was no where to be found. He looked gloomily at Louis sitting alone, and quietly thought,  _this is all your fault._

But he's happy that Louis found Harry on the cliff, even though it's causing the most trouble they've ever delt with in a patient. Speaking of which, where was Liam? Niall stormed out of the room trying to keep a pissed off face, even though he was more worried. "I know what you're planning to do." He growled once he saw Liam in the hallway.

"I know." Liam said whilst turning around.

"Yeah? Well I know that you know that I know." Niall fought back. Checkmate.

Liam pinched the bridge of his nose in aggravation. "Look, our contract is to send Harry to the moon. And the only way for that to happen is if Harry is motivated once we alter his life."

"But you're altering it too much! If it means removing Louis from his life completely, then what's the point? The reason he wants to go to the moon in the first place is because he died, like he said at the carnival! If he forgot or got lost, Louis would meet him on the moon!" Niall fought back harshly. He wasn't ready to see Louis go. How could you look at a situation like this and think that removing Louis is best? What kind of sick person would you have to be?

"I know, but we are legally bound by the contract-"

"Fuck the contract! I didn't take this job to make him miserable, Li! I signed up to help goddamn geezers die happy!"

"Niall, please," Liam motioned his hands for Niall to calm down, even though making a scene would go unnoticed by people surrounding. It's an instinct. "I like this job. But if we go completely against our legal obligations, we'd be sent straight to court."

Niall huffed. "I'm confident that I'd win that case. We know that Harry'd be happier with Louis than the moon."

"Harry would be happier with a lot of changes to his life." Liam said calmly, and Niall knew it was true. "But we are not here to play God. Our  _job_  is to give him what he signed for."

"But we know what he wants more than he does!"

"I'm only risking losing Louis because I believe in him, and-"

"What do you mean ' _risk_ '?!" Niall shouted. "You're removing him!"

"I'll make up for it." Liam speaks motionlessly.

"How?" Niall challenges.

Suddenly, a jolt is felt in Liam's pocket, but neither speak. They both know it's Harry's heart monitor. They know Harry will die soon. "We're running out of time." Liam says, backing away. "Just trust me."

Niall laughs incredulously. "How can I trust you? You pushed me off a fucking lighthouse!"

It's too late. Liam has already pressed his button and time traveled beyond Niall's knowledge, leaving him to seach for the other before Louis is gone forever.

And boy, he spent a long time searching. Liam was somewhere out of reach; a place only he knew, leaving Niall to follow behind. Even though keeping up was impossible no matter how hard the blond tried. It filled Niall with a sense of surrender, like Liam had won, though they weren't even battling. How could he betray all that they've worked for? Liam was no where in Harry's memories, but something caught Niall's eyes when he ended up back at age 16 next to Louis' locker, where he sat flitting through his lighthouse book. Distantly, Niall heard a clicking noise. And like on queue, Louis stood and left, never holding a platypus in the first place.

He noticed Liam from the corner of his eye, instantly growling "What did you do to him?"

"Relax." Liam coaxed. "He's just going away. And don't bother resetting the memory, it won't do anything."

Bastard. It's crazy that he knew Niall so well. "...What's going to happen?"

Liam sighed. "Niall, you...you're my best friend. I'm not doing any of this to hurt you, and I promise, I have all of this planned out. Just trust me, okay?" He pleaded.

Niall didn't answer, because he didn't know how to respond. "There's just one last thing I need to do." Liam said to fill the silence. "Wait here."

Liam disappeared to the click of a button, leaving Niall to witness the following.

"Everything's alright!" Zayn urges, pushing Harry closer and closer to the next hallway, where Louis was supposed to be sitting against his locker, reading next to his stuffed platypus.

Before Harry knew it, he stood in front of empty space, stuttering like and idiot and twiddling his thumbs faster than ever. "H-hey, Lou." But he soon realized that no one was there.

"Sorry, kid." Niall grumbled, standing next to him. At this point, he doesn't care if Harry can't hear him. "It's already started."

-

**Harry's alternate life (life without meeting Louis)**

Niall stood idly by in front of the staircase that curved next to Louis' locker. Harry ran down the steps quick, shouting "C'mon! Let's get a good table before they're taken!"

"They're all the same." Zayn laughed. Niall soon realized that Harry was the third person to walk down the stairs...the first was Edward.

"Ed's right. The ones by the kitchen smell better." The real Harry agreed.

"Yeah! And blueberry refills are just a step away." Encouraged Edward as the three swaggered towards the cafeteria.

The fourth person to walk down was none other than Dr. Payne himself. "Does this help?" He asked, hoping Niall wasn't still mad.

He only shook his head. "Saving him doesn't justify it."

Liam folded his hands and said wearily. "He can always find another 'Louis', Niall. He'll only have one brother."

-

**Harry's alternate life (life with his wish granted, Edward lives, but he never asks Louis out.)**

It was so strange how removing Louis, the biggest factor of Harry's life, made everything completely the same, but absolutely different.

The movie he would've seen with Louis was replaced with Edward and Zayn.

When Harry sat in the back of the family car while his mum drove to their grandparents house, he made the mistake of glancing out the window from pure boredom. The car drove past a football field, and for a second, he caught a glimpse of the prettiest boy he'd ever seen, kicking a football by himself.

One day in class, Harry's English teacher was pointing at random students to shout out what they aspired to be once they graduated, for a writing prompt. One girl confidently shouted "A singer!"

"An author!" Edward called out.

"A firefighter..." Another girl said nervously.

The teacher concluded by stretching her finger towards none other than him, smiling politely. "What about you, Harry?"

Harry's forest eyes looked up at the question. What did he want to be? It was silly. There was one thing he wanted nothing more to do. He wanted to go to the moon. "An astronaut."

Near the end of their high school years, Edward sat on the top bunk, nagging Harry to read something he probably never would. Peter Pot, or something like that. "Just read one chapter, Harry, I promise you'll love it!" He pleaded.

"I can't." He stood from his desk chair, the legs on it scraping the ground as he carefully folded the letter he wrote and placed it in the envelope. "I have to go to the post office."

He did, eventually. His fingers fumbled as he pushed open the blue box. If he dropped that letter, his life could change.

So he dropped it.

When they never replied to his letter, he sent another one. And another one. And maybe four more. Finally, after he graduated high school, even after college, they responded. Harry and Zayn stood a few feet behind the table where Edward sat, signing copies of his best selling book, that was being formed into a movie. Harry listened to Zayn ramble of how he always thought Harry would be a good author when Harry's phone buzzed deep within his pocket.

He pulled it out and cautiously answered it, shakilly saying "Hello?"

Three words were spoken: "You made it."

The next day, Harry, Edward and his mum pulled up in front of the large building in the middle of no where. Harry breathed in the fresh air and looked up at the humongus sign above them.  _NASA_.

"I'm so proud of you, Harry." His mum rambled, speaking his real name. "I always knew you would make it far. I love you so, so much." She said wetly.

He said the magical words back, and repeated them to his brother before he walked inside.

-

"He actually made it, huh?" Niall laughed from inside the NASA headquarters, watching Harry being told to wait by the elevator while a person was off looking for someone to show him around.

"You sound surprised." Liam says. "I thought you said that we always succeded."

Niall turned back to Harry, his shoulders slumping. "This isn't a success."

Liam sighed, wishing Niall would lighten up about the Louis thing. "C'mon, let's go to Harry." He was already walking towards Harry. He almost bumped into the table that was behind Harry, but it caught his attention. He picked up the book on top of the stack and read the back.

_The wonderful story of an average kid who dreams of becoming an astronaut._

_The number one New York Times Bestseller 'To The Moon' by Edward Styles._

"Huh. Would you look at that." Liam mused to himself.

"I can't believe that shit actually sold." Niall says.

"This isn't the real world, Niall. Everything that Harry wanted to happen is happening now."

"Oh, yeah? What about Louis?" Niall dared to defy Liam's plan for Harry.

He simply shrugged. "I don't know, Niall."

They followed Harry throughout the building, stopping every so often to have things explained. "This is the mission control room." Harry's guide said with open arms, presenting a dull room with at least twenty computers and a giant screen in front. "There's not much happening now, but you'll see it live someday."

At the top floor, Harry stared out a big window in awe, starstruck by how big the rocketship outside was. He was going to be in that someday.

"What a rocket!" Niall exclaimed as he peered out the window beside Liam, taking in it's immense size and glory.

"It's so amazing." Liam mused. "I feel bad for anyone that isn't right here seeing it. It's so much more awesome to see it for real than to hear it described, or to read about it. Anyone who's not here just wouldn't understand."

"That's for sure." Niall agreed.

The guide spoke up. "The shuttle's still under heavy maintenance. We may only view it from here for now." He said unfazed.

Next he was led into a small room with some round tables and a coffee maker in the corner. "This is the break room."

"I wonder if the real NASA is this lame." Niall thought out loud, examining the dull room.

"Probably not. It's constructed after Harry's beliefs." Liam replied, folding his hands behind his back.

Niall turned to stare out the window, being approached with nothing, since Harry wouldn't form rooms unless he was in them. "It's odd, though. I hear birds, because Harry does. But I don't see any." He spoke. Everything was mesmerizing. They were seeing this recreated memory through Harry's eyes, only seeing what was within distance.

Liam looked down at his feet against the rough blue carpet, sighing once he realized that Niall was making small chat to avoid an inevitable conversation. "I'm sorry, Niall...I really thought there was a good chance."

Niall sighed in return and glanced at Harry. "At least he got into NASA. You think he made it to the end?"

"Even if he did, it takes more than just a few years to become an astronaut." Liam stated.

"Let's hurry and find the last link, then. I'd hate to miss the finale." Just as Niall stopped speaking, the lights in the room dimmed slowly. "What...what's going on? Are we out of time?" He said worriedly.

"I-I don't know." Liam answered truthfully, scanning the room to see any signs of disturbance.

His eyes landed on the door.

It partially opened, then fully swung to clack against the wall. A familiar floppy fringe and small smile waltzed in, looking even more nervous than Harry was. "Here's our other new recruit!" The guide smiled, pulling the boy towards Harry. "It's Louis, right? Good to have you on board."

Harry's grin spread wide at the sight of the new boy, taking in his unfathomable beauty. "I'm Harry." He choked out, shaking the smaller ones hand.

Liam looked rather pleased. "Wow. I almost thought he wouldn't make it-"

"What the fuck, Liam? You...you deleted him!" Niall shouted, trying to be forceful at Liam, but not being able to contain his happiness as the two reunited without knowing.

"I didn't delete Louis. I just moved him. Didn't I promise I'd make up for it before you screamed at me?" Liam smirked in a cocky but pleased manner. "What Louis does with his life is still up to...'him'. But the new world, is based on public data of Harry's beliefs. And since Louis' data as an individual is not recorded in the public domain..."

"It all comes to Harry!" Niall finished Liam's sentence, booming with happiness that could swell his heart. "But...but even then, that merely increases the odds. How were you sure that it'd work?"

"I wasn't."

Niall gaped at him, and eventually had to mentally tell himself to close his mouth. "Things could've taken a wrong turn, y'know!"

Liam clapped a hand on Niall's shoulder, bringing the blond boy closer. Liam placed a tender kiss on his cheek and proudly stated: "I've always been one to take risks, Niall. Let's just say I won this round."

The both stopped everything to admire the socialization between Harry and Louis, because it was all quite amazing. Nothing was real, but this is what Harry would remember. Not the original, but maybe something better. "We still have extra space to bring more people traveling with us, right? Through Harry's memories?" Niall asked.

"Yeah, how come?" Liam questioned in return.

"I think Harry would like some company."

Liam and Niall left, and watched idly by as Harry and Louis lived a life never never born.

-

Louis strut down the hallways of NASA, making his way to the vending machine in the break room for some crisps on lunch break when the soft key notes of a piano flowed through his ears. He turned to his left and saw a steel door parted open slightly.

It was a different thing than Louis was used to; every day at work Louis would go through training, maybe write some papers, and go home to his flat that felt all too lonely no matter how many reruns of Friends would be playing in the background. This was new; exciting.

Harry's fingers danced upon the piano, and performed to a beautiful ability for the other coworkers that decided to listen in also. Inevitably, conversation sparked even though Louis wasn't much for talking, except to Harry when he was bored and needed to actually do something verbally. They were partners, after all. "He wrote it himself, apparently." Someone who stood next to him mentioned.

But this was Louis' new job. He can branch out. "What's it called?"

"Moments." The lady spoke softly, like if she were to speak up it would ruin the chords or vibe.

Louis felt a smile touch his lips. "I like that name."

Later that day, Harry and Louis were scheduled to do the rocket simulator. Louis nervously tapped his fingers on the wall he leaned against as the two waited for anyone with a key to unlock the door and let them begin the simulation. Harry rocked back and forth on his toes, watching Louis carefully. "You okay, boo?"

But getting lost in your own head has depths that can scare anyone. He didn't answer.

Harry placed a hand on Louis' shoulder and shook him gently. "Hey. Can you hear me?"

His eyes snapped up, hand dropping from the security of hugging himself. "Sorry. I'm just afraid, is all."

Harry smiled warmly and shook his head. "It's okay. I'll be there, sitting right next to you, okay? If you're ever afraid, just-" He reached forward and took Louis' wrist in his hand, his fingers working down until they laced together perfectly. "Just hold my hand, yeah? Reach for my palm if your scared."

Louis nodded, feeling safe when he touched Harry. "Okay."

-

**Harry's age: 68 (present time)**

"It's time." Niall says once he returns, having left Liam to watch Harry and Louis back in the generated memories. "I was thinking, maybe you two would like to come watch Harry and Louis go to the moon."

Lou glances at the medical doctor, who spans a wide toothy smile across her face as she nods. "That'd be lovely."

Niall sits them down and adjusts the helmets. And he can't stop the thoughts that swarm his mind.  _Harry is going to the moon._

_-_

**Harry's age: Generated memories (back at NASA)**

After speeding up time a bit, Liam watched delicately by, seeing Harry's big and bony fingers glide across each black and white key, with his eyes closed. Louis sat on the bench next to him, head relaxing on his shoulder. It unfazed Harry, for he continued to melodiously sound out  _Moments_.

A man Liam recognized as the guide from what seemed to Harry to be years ago entered the room, and his lips tweaked up at the sight of the two. "You two should head back to your home and get some rest. Tomorrow's the big day!"

Harry's fingers faltered as the man spoke, and Louis sat up once he left. He looked Harry dead in the eyes, but couldn't contain the giggles that spilled through his mouth and flooded to Harry, who laughed in return. Because it was quite funny, that the thing they'd been learning about and practicing for years was going to happen. "Harry." Louis stated through a smile.

"Louis."

"We're going to the moon. How bizarre is that?"

Harry cocked his head and pretended to think about it. "Mm. Extremely bizarre."

"It's a dream come true, y'know." Louis reminded, acting stern.

"Oh, yes, I'm well aware." He wrapped an arm around Louis' shoulder and pulled him in. "Because if you ever get lost, just go to the moon. And that's where you'll find me."

_That_. That is when Liam almost panicked because he thought him and Niall messed up. That is when Liam calmed when he remembered that at least something had to link Harry's real life and his generated memories. That something was the words he spoke. That is when Louis' eyes widened and his back straightened and his already cluttered mind raced with thoughts he canceled out years before. "I think...I've heard someone say that before. Yeah, I met someone when I was little, and he told me that. But, I never saw him again."

"Really?" Louis nodded. "That's strange. But anyways, we should probably head home." He stood and pulled Louis up from the bench, beginning to walk out the door and through the halls.

After several moments of silence, Louis' lips twitched in want of asking a question. "Do...do you think he'll be on the moon? Waiting for us?"

Harry chuckled a bit, because Louis wouldn't be one to dismiss the thought. All of these crazy things he thinks are just so endearing and silly. "Well, maybe he is. Maybe he's on his way right now. Or maybe he'll be on our ship tomorrow. Or maybe he's been trying to get there for years but his ship has been taken over by space pirates!" Harry teased, happy to see Louis giggle even more at the precarious thoughts. "I'll bet he's a great guy, too."

-

The sun was barely peaking over the edge of the horizen, shining over the large body of water, making it twinkle below the large road bridge that everyone had gathered at. The street was blocked off just for the occasion, and friends, family, even total strangers came just to watch the rocket launch.

Niall appeared with Lou and the medical doctor as promised, and they were filled with questions. Lou asked, "So, did you ever figure out why he wanted to go to the moon?"

Niall nodded and popped his knuckles. "Yup. Sure did."

"So...? What was it?"

He shook his head happily and looked at the rocket across the water. "Let's just say it was a bunch of sappy drama that sorted itself out. In an extremely odd way."

The medical doctor began to speak. "You know, I thought we almost lost Harry quite a few times. I think he was holding on for you two. Speaking of which, your collegue's waiting for you over there." She raised a hand and pointed at Liam, who sat perched on the wide edge of the huge bridge, feet dangling off of the edge.

Niall waved goodbye to the two ladies and walked up behind Liam. "Hey." He said softly. "This is a good view. Nice choice."

"I thought so." Liam hummed. Suddenly things felt strange, because they were happy, but sad as well. Because in reality, Harry was about to die. But he'd die with new memories. Of a better life. Only Niall and Liam would know the story. "Well, this is it." Liam sighs. "All we've worked for has come for this. Ready to initiate it?"

Niall nodded.

"Come sit up here with me, Ni." Liam demanded.

"Why?" He asked, knowing he would probably still sit next to him for any reason.

"...Why not?"

"You're just gonna push me off the edge again, aren't you?" Niall peered.

"No promises." Liam smirked. "But the view is worth it, for sure."

Niall, of course, budged up and climbed next to the other boy, not letting an inch go between them.

-

Inside NASA, the place was bustling, all getting prepared for the launching. The computer room was live in action, every moniter flashing different directions and codes.

Harry and Louis sat inside the space ship, constantly laughing and poing each others orange suit. Harry looked out the window and sighed. He'd see earth again soon.

-

**_"Because one day...I'm going to befriend one of them."_ **

-

Gears were released, people braced themselves, and the ship slowly began lifting off. In a matter of seconds, it was in the sky, racing to the moon.

Niall watched in awe, not even realizing he was clutching Liam's hand for dear life. Liam didn't seem to mind. He never did.

The ship went further and further into the sky, kissing the sunrise and breezing past the clouds. A certain lighthouse sat perched on her cliff, saying goodbye to her family. Louis glanced out the window, and gave a slight wave.  _I would name her Anya_ , he thought.

-

Suddenly, Niall heard a beeping. He thought it was his pager, so he brushed it off, but it kept beeping and beeping on a steady pace. He finally pulled the noisemaker from his pocket.

What he saw made him almost drop it in the ocean below.

"What is it?" Liam asked, now getting a sense of panic.

He felt his heart fall as the words flowed. "Harry's heart moniter." Niall looked back in the sky and saw the tail of the rocket disappear. He felt a slight tear drip off of his chin, and when he looked back at Liam, he had some tears too. "He's not going to make it before real Harry dies."

Liam didn't protest. Didn't hush Niall and tell him Harry would be fine. He listened to the beeping.

-

The atmosphere around changed from blue and orange skies in a matter of minutes. Once Louis looked out his window, he saw billions of lighthouses glistening and shining lights at him. His heart was so full, he could burst.

Harry gulped big and watched Louis. Their dreams were coming true.

Louis turned and blushed once he saw Harry, and of course, they both giggled. Louis stuck his glove covered hand out between their two chairs, and Harry grasped it, because "Reach for my palm if you're scared."

Together, they faced forward, and gasped at the sight ahead. Through the front, the lighthouses began to cut off as they became blocked. By something much, much bigger.

The heart monitor made a drawn out beep, and the real Harry began to fade...

Harry clutched Louis' hand, and spoke softly.  


_"Let's go to the moon."_

_-_

**_The End_ **

-

 

**_Dust is billowing._ **

**_Time moves on but hearts stay still_ **

**_And I see two roads._ **

**_Nothing but the heart._ **

**_Where is my love without you?_ **

**_My time here is gone._ **

**_The last day is here._ **

**_Which path will my soul decide_ **

**_when all leads to you?_ **

**_Goodbye, dear Louis._ **

**_Our world has become too harsh._ **

**_Find me on the moon._ **

 

**_Let's go to the moon._ **

-passage from Harry's book,  _For Louis_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to everyone who read. i know this is a short fic, but it's taken me a year to write, and it's changed me. my dream is to become an author, so this is only the beginning!  
> also, i noticed that when i asked a few friends to read this, they became easily confused, or just not happy because this story, like, doesn't tell you anything. after the epilogue i think i'll do a chapter where i answer their questions, and any of yours too :)) x


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> legit i have no idea why i waited over a month to publish this part bc it's been ready since june oops  
> anyways, here's the end. thank you for reading and sticking with my delayed updates.
> 
> there will be more to come, i hope.

The sun was edging up the skyline of the ocean, almost appearing as it was emerging from a slumber, out of the deep water. Niall sighed and looked back down at the tombstones in front of the lighthouse.

_In memory of Louis Styles-Tomlinson_ next to _In memory of Harry Styles-Tomlinson_

It only filled Niall with an indescribable feeling. He messed up. He ruined a persons life. How could he live with that?

"Hey." Liam gently lets his new boyfriend know that he found him, even when Niall was trying his best to get away from the world. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh, nothing. I talked to Lou a bit. Harry gave her the deed to the house."

"That's nice." Liam says softly, giving him eyes that Niall can't avoid.

"I just thought I'd say goodbye...pay my respects, y'know?" He says truthfully. He respects Harry and Louis more than anyone. It's honestly the worst feeling he's ever felt, and he'd do anything to escape this pain. "Harry didn't have to go like that, did he? If only we were faster. Harry trusted us and we let him down."

"You know it's not your fault. Not everyone can get their wish." Liam says softly, sitting next to Niall, beholding the graves. He wraps and arm around the blonde boys shoulders, who leans into the touch.

"But, I really did try. And I cared about him. I'm so fucking stupid! If only we-"

"Stop it." Liam commands. "There's nothing we could've done. You're right, we tried our best, and that's that."

Niall sniffs and picks at the grass. "I never even met them...but it feels like someone really close to me died." He whispers, feeling the tears prick in his eyes. "I just-I've never felt so connected to a patient. Not since the case with Eleanor Calder, at least. Louis and Harry-" he sobs. "They taught me so much without even knowing. How can I move on from that?"

"I don't think we ever will move on. It's gonna stick with us forever. But we have each other, me and you. We're the only ones who know their story. It'll be our little secret, kay?"

"Yeah. Alright." Niall begins to calm down at the kind words, when Liam's pager goes off. "New client?" He asks almost frightfully.

Sadly, this job moves forward. They learn the lives of people and the tragedies they lead. They learn of destined love and hear things that shouldn't have been said. Sigmund Agency of Life was nothing more than a job. Because once a new shift starts, all the old cases don't matter. You have to focus on the now.

People die with their wish. But sometimes, they die without it. Liam and Niall learned all there is to know about Harry and Louis in only a few hours. These lives that they work with are putty in their hands. It is a fickle thing, to press a button and alter the universe. But, these lives don't all count towards the end. Liam and Niall would know. The moments and memories leading up are just as beautiful as the ending.

Liam pulls Niall off the ground and sighs, nodding. "New client."

 

_Episode 1: To The Moon ✔_

**Author's Note:**

> i do not own to the moon or freebird games or one direction!!! i would not sob over one direction fanfictions if i owned them trust me


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